Kokoro No Kaitou: Once Lost, Now Found :4:
by Dark Chobit
Summary: The Reikai Tantei are given a mission - there has been an outbreak in Makai, and they are to enlist the help of the Shinobi. But what happens when they meet up with someone that they haven't seen in a long, long time...?
1. Chapter 1

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed and put his homework away. He was probably the smartest kid in his school, but he still found homework difficult. But then again, he rarely had any free time anymore. Between Reikai Tantei missions and part-time jobs, school just seemed to be the least of his worries.   
  
  
  
"Shuichi!"   
  
  
  
"Coming!" He replied, leaving his room and walking down the stairs to see what his mother wanted.   
  
  
  
He smiled. His ningen mother…she had taught him so much. He had wanted to return to Makai when he had enough power, but he couldn't bear to leave her.   
  
  
  
"Yes, mother?" He asked.   
  
  
  
She smiled at him. "Shuichi, dear, your little friend is at the door."   
  
  
  
Kurama glanced at the clock. It was just past ten…who would come here this late at night?   
  
  
  
"Which friend?"   
  
  
  
Shiori smiled again. "The blue-haired girl."   
  
  
  
Botan? Why would she be here?   
  
  
  
He thanked his mother and she went into the kitchen. He went to the door, and saw that Botan was standing there, in the midst of the pouring rain.   
  
  
  
"Botan-san! Come in, you're getting soaked!" He said, opening the door for her to enter.   
  
  
  
She did, and pulled back the hood of her yellow rain coat. "Arigato, Kurama-kun."   
  
  
  
He leaned over and asked in a low voice that his mother would not be able to hear, "Botan-san, is it a mission?"   
  
  
  
She nodded. "Hai. One that requires your immediate attention."   
  
  
  
"And what is it?" He asked. He was thankful that it wasn't on a school night…   
  
  
  
"I can't explain it here. We'll need to get to Koenma's office, pronto." She said. "I'll take you."   
  
  
  
He nodded, and motioned for her to stay there. He walked over to the kitchen, and poked his head in.   
  
  
  
"Mother, I'm going to Yusuke's house. He needs some help with his project." Kurama said. He felt terrible for lying to her, but sometimes it just had to be done.   
  
  
  
"That's fine, Shuichi. When do you expect to be back?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"I'm not sure. It's really a very large project. I may even have to stay over there for the week." He said.   
  
  
  
"Make sure to call though." She said. "Your movers will be here in two days. I want you to be here when they pick up your things."   
  
  
  
He nodded. "I should be back by then, but if I'm not, then I'd like you to go ahead and take care of it for me. Is that alright with you?"   
  
  
  
"Of course, of course!"   
  
  
  
"Bye then!"   
  
  
  
"Have fun!"   
  
  
  
He went back out to where Botan was waiting patiently.   
  
  
  
"I'm ready to go, Botan-san." He said, pulling on his own forest green raincoat over his clothes.   
  
  
  
They walked out the door, and they went to Reikai.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
When Botan and Kurama arrived at Koenma's office, the entire Reikai Tantei were already assembled there. The Reikai Tantei…Urameshi Yusuke, Kuwabara Kazuma, and Jaganshi Hiei. They were worked for Reikai to help defend the human world from various supernatural forces. They were all his friends.   
  
  
  
Kurama smiled at them in greeting, and they all returned the gesture - that is, with the exception of Hiei.   
  
  
  
"So, we're all here." Koenma said.   
  
  
  
"What do you want that's important enough to tear me away from my favorite show?" Yusuke asked.   
  
  
  
"Well, for starters, there's been an outbreak of these in Makai." The pint-sized Reikai prince said. He pressed a button on his remote control, and the screen behind them flickered to life.   
  
  
  
The four turned to see what was being displayed. A small, almost-clear bug was on the screen. It had a faint reddish tint to it, and beady black eyes. It almost looked like a mosquito.   
  
  
  
"What's that?" Kuwabara asked. "It looks icky."   
  
  
  
"That would be a Makai insect. It doesn't really have an official name, because its such a rare species." Koenma explained. "The details are in this report. Read it on the way to the Shinobi village. We've asked for their assistance in rounding up these pests."   
  
  
  
He shoved the thick packet into Kurama's hands, and Botan ushered them into the portal.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama flipped through the papers as they walked. They were currently in Makai, and it was winter there. There was a thick layer of snow on the ground, and it crunched under the feet of the four boys and deity. None of them were dressed for the weather - it was late spring in Ningenkai. All except for Hiei were shivering - the koorime was used to the biting cold.   
  
  
  
"It says here that these insects sink into your flesh and settle down in your stomach. Then, they absorb all of the moisture out of your body, leaving you a pile of dust." He read aloud.   
  
  
  
"Great. The best bug ever." Yusuke grumbled sarcastically.   
  
  
  
"Look!" Botan exclaimed, running forward slightly. "There's the village!"   
  
  
  
The Shinobi village was built on top of one of three steep hills, and it looked like a difficult climb to reach it. It would be a great defensive spot, however. No one could approach the place without being seen by one of the many guard posts that bordered the village.   
  
  
  
Kurama kept reading from the packet, while the other took in the surroundings.   
  
  
  
"Lady! Lady, look out!" Cried a voice.   
  
  
  
They all turned to one of the other hills, and saw a person on a snowboard flying towards them. Or to be more exact, towards Kurama.   
  
  
  
She slammed into him, and they both went tumbling back into the snow.   
  
  
  
She groaned, and sat up, getting off of him.   
  
  
  
"Daijobu ka, miss?" She asked.   
  
  
  
Kurama sat up as well, and went completely rigid. Snow had gotten inside his shirt and a little in his pants.   
  
  
  
"Oops!" The girl said. "You're not a lady."   
  
  
  
Kurama stood, and tried to brush the snow off of himself. "No, I'm **not**."   
  
  
  
She pulled off her goggles that she had been wearing, revealing a pair of beautiful sea-green eyes. Kurama had to do a double take at her.   
  
  
  
"Naomi-chaaaaaaan!" A voice called.   
  
  
  
The rest of the Tantei turned to see another girl running down the hill.   
  
  
  
The girl called Naomi turned to face her. "I'm fine, Midori-chan!" She called back.   
  
  
  
The second girl came to a stop beside the first. She was pretty, with wavy hair that fell to her waist, going from blonde to pink to orange and finally red at the tips. She also had pupiless red eyes.   
  
  
  
"M-Midori?!" Kurama exclaimed.   
  
  
  
She turned and gave him an odd look. "Do I know you?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah, Kurama, do you know her? 'Cause I'd like you to introduce us." Yusuke said, not taking his eyes off of the red-eyed girl.   
  
  
  
"Kurama?!" Midori exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Kurama nodded. "Hai."   
  
  
  
"What? But, you were dead…and the shooting and the poking and the - hell, I **saw** your bloody body! You were waaaaaay dead!" Midori exclaimed. "But now you're - poof! - alive again!"   
  
  
  
"Onna, you haven't changed a bit." Hiei snorted.   
  
  
  
"Hi-kun!" She exclaimed. "And you're here too?!"   
  
  
  
"Look, ladies, we really need to see Touya, Jin, Shishiwakamaru and Chuu. And Suzuka, if he's here." Yusuke said.   
  
  
  
"Are you guys the Spirit Detectives that Koenma told us about?" Naomi asked.   
  
  
  
"You bet!" Kuwabara said. "Oh, and I'm Kuwabara Kazuma, the leader." He smoothed back his hair, and Naomi snorted.   
  
  
  
"I don't date pigs."   
  
  
  
Yusuke glared. "And besides, what about Yukina?"   
  
  
  
Kuwabara blinked. "Yukina! Oh, how could I have forgotten about her? Never mind!"   
  
  
  
Midori blinked. "Hi-kun, you-"   
  
  
  
He glared, and said telepathically, _Don't say a word._   
  
  
  
"Okay." She said slowly. "Well, let's get back to the village before the heavy snow starts."   
  
  
  
"Right. We'll go to Chuu-kun's house." Naomi said.   
  
  
  
"Wait, Naomi!" Midori exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"I want you to go get your mom." Midori said.   
  
  
  
"My mom? Are you _**nuts**_? She's meditating - and we all know how cranky she gets when you interrupt her meditating." Naomi said.   
  
  
  
"Naomi-chan, trust me on this. She'll be happy." Midori said. "Tell her that I was the one that told you to interrupt her, if you want."   
  
  
  
"Okay." Naomi sighed. "I'll meet you at Chuu's."   
  
  
  
The girl started climbing up the hill, and Midori smiled at the Tantei.   
  
  
  
"Right. Let's get to Chuu's."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes**: That's the first chapter. It's kind of short, but that's okay. Next chapter will be better. Oh, and I'm not sure when I'll next be able to update. I need to take some time to plan out what's going to happen later on in the story.   
  
  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!   
  
  
  
**miyako14** : Thanks for the review! Yes, the ending was pretty sad. *sniffles*   
  
**Youko** : My friend is an avid Jin fan, so I had to have him be the one that she saw. LOL.   
  
**Explosion** : Yeah. It's supposed to be a cliffie.   
  
**Sun Priestess** : I read your story! And like I said, the ending of the last story was supposed to be sad. Sorry! Oh, by the way, I love your pen name. ^___^   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Thanks!!   
  
**Naoko-san** : I'm a bit of a perfectionist too, and I was just upset that there was something wrong with my story. So I'm sorry if I came across as being bitchy or mean. T_____T   
  
**FieryKitsune** : I'll let you know as soon as I post them, then. I'm not sure if I can bring him back, but I'll try.   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : ^_____^ I'm glad that you're so enthusiastic about my stories!   
  
**Katie E.** : They talk about that a little bit soon, so you'll find out how she feels about that. T____T   
  
**Kagome0102** : Thanks, I try! ^____^ It probably took me…um, maybe a week, tops? And yes, that would be Jin. ^__^ I love Jin so much, and I had to bring him in!   
  
  
  
Review! 


	2. Chapter 2

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 2   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
They were all gathered in Chuu's house - Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, Suzuka, Jin, Touya, and Chuu himself. Shishiwakamaru had not yet arrived, and Naomi hadn't returned.   
  
  
  
They were all sitting around the table, with the exception of Chuu, who sat on the couch at the side of the room, his feet propped up on the armrest.   
  
  
  
"So, what's really up with these bugs?" Jin asked, leaning forward slightly.   
  
  
  
"Well, they've already taken down several A-Class demons, which means that they must be either very strong, or they cannot be gotten rid of once they enter the body." Kurama said with a sigh.   
  
  
  
The door suddenly opened, and three heavily bundled figures came in. One started pulling off the layers, to reveal Naomi. She shook out her wavy silver hair, and it reached down to her waist. She then started taking off her boots while the other two started with their headgear.   
  
  
  
The second turned out to be Shishiwakamaru. The third started to unbundle, and Kurama's eyes widened.   
  
  
  
The third was a girl with silver hair, which fell in sheets to her slim waist. She also had a silver crescent moon on her forehead, and bluish-green eyes, much like Naomi's. She didn't seem too pleased, and she glared at Midori.   
  
  
  
Kurama stood, still speechless.   
  
  
  
The girl's eyes fell on him, then widened as well.   
  
  
  
"A…Amaya?" He breathed.   
  
  
  
Her face suddenly went from surprised to enraged. She whirled to face the phoenix, and growled. "Midori, what kind of sick joke are you trying to play?"   
  
  
  
Kurama was confused. What was she talking about?   
  
  
  
"No joke! He just showed up!" Midori protested.   
  
  
  
The girl turned back towards Kurama. "Then…it really is you…?"   
  
  
  
He nodded. "Yes."   
  
  
  
The sound echoed through the room as she slapped him with all of her might, causing all of its occupants to stare.   
  
  
  
"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?!" She exclaimed.   
  
  
  
He gingerly touched his cheek, eyes widened even further now. He looked back at her, still quite surprised.   
  
  
  
"You didn't listen to me, and you got yourself killed, you bastard!" She continued. "And for the last seventeen years, I believed that you were dead! How come you didn't contact me, Kurama?! Or did you not care enough to even try?!"   
  
  
  
"Amaya, if there had **been** a way, I **would've**!" He growled back. He was upset at the fact that she was so angry with him, despite the fact that it wasn't his fault. "Besides, I **did** die! My soul fled to the human world after I did!"   
  
  
  
She seemed to want to retort, but instead sighed. She rubbed her temples.   
  
  
  
"I'm going to go make some tea. I can't deal with this right now." She said. She turned and walked back into Chuu's kitchen, and everyone was silent.   
  
  
  
"Uh…" Naomi started. "That was…interesting. Though I'm a little confused as to what just happened."   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru followed Amaya into the kitchen, and Kurama sighed. He sat back down at the table, and Yusuke gave him a questioning look.   
  
  
  
"You know her, Kurama?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." He said quietly.   
  
  
  
Naomi shrugged and walked over to the couch where Chuu was sitting. She smiled at him.   
  
  
  
"Chuu-kun, can I sit on the couch too?"   
  
  
  
He nodded, and quickly made space for her. She flopped down next to him, and sighed.   
  
  
  
"So, what did you guys come here for?" She asked.   
  
  
  
Yusuke glanced at Kurama, and saw that he probably wasn't in the mood to explain it.   
  
  
  
"There's been an outbreak of a certain kind of bug here in Makai, and we need your help to round them up and take them down." He said.   
  
  
  
"Oh." She replied.   
  
  
  
An awkward silence befell the entire room, before Jin spoke up.   
  
  
  
"So…how about that snow, eh?"   
  
  
  
Touya glared at him to let him know that this was **not** the best time to talk about the weather. The wind master looked slightly dejected, but said no more.   
  
  
  
Amaya and Shishiwakamaru came back out from the kitchen, and the former was carrying a tray with several small cups. She placed one in front of everyone, and wouldn't even meet Kurama's hurt gaze as she gave him his tea. She then moved to the opposite end of the table, and sat down. Shishiwakamaru sat down beside her.   
  
  
  
Yusuke decided to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.   
  
  
  
"So…how do you to know each other anyways?"   
  
  
  
Amaya sipped at her tea, and didn't reply, so they all looked towards Kurama.   
  
  
  
He sighed. "I…well, I knew her as Youko." He looked towards her. "We were…close."   
  
  
  
She sipped her tea again, and didn't reply.   
  
  
  
Naomi got off the couch and crawled over to the silver-haired girl's side. She poked her in the cheek, and Amaya looked over at her.   
  
  
  
"Mom, if that's the truth, then why the grumpy face?" She asked.   
  
  
  
Amaya smiled. "You don't have to poke me!"   
  
  
  
Naomi grinned. "That's better!"   
  
  
  
Kurama looked as though his eyes couldn't possibly bug out more. "Mom?!"   
  
  
  
Amaya smirked at him. "Yes. Mom."   
  
  
  
"But - how - what - I mean, you - " Kurama started to jibber slightly, which caused everyone to give him an odd look.   
  
  
  
The calm and collected Kurama was at a loss for words.   
  
  
  
"Whoa…" Yusuke said. Kuwabara seconded the notion.   
  
  
  
Hiei started to chuckle, then started laughing. Midori started to laugh as well, and she clutched her sides, tears of mirth running down her cheeks.   
  
  
  
Naomi blinked, then said, "Okay…we have two psychos in the room."   
  
  
  
"Kami-sama, this is _priceless_!" Midori managed before laughing again. She actually laughed so hard that she fell out of her chair.   
  
  
  
Hiei just kept laughing.   
  
  
  
"What's so funny?" Amaya asked. A faint silver aura started to surround her.   
  
  
  
"Mom, calm down!" Naomi exclaimed. "You'll blow the house up!"   
  
  
  
"Amaya-san, please!" Shishiwakamaru said. "Remember what happened last time!"   
  
  
  
"Yeah!" Chuu said. "Don't blow up me 'ouse! I **like** me 'ouse!"   
  
  
  
Amaya took a deep breath, and her aura settled. Kurama looked slightly pale and was still trying to form a logical sentence.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru sighed. "Look, obviously all of us are too emotional right now to talk. Let's just go to bed. We can talk about this in the morning."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Hiei stayed with Touya at his house, and Yusuke went with Jin. Kuwabara stayed at Chuu's, and Kurama went to Shishiwakamaru's. As it would turn out, Amaya and Naomi also lived with the blue-haired samurai.   
  
  
  
But despite the fact that they were all in the same house, Amaya managed to ignore Kurama all the way there. And when they arrived, she went straight to her room.   
  
  
  
Kurama just watched her go, still feeling rather hurt that she wouldn't even talk to him.   
  
  
  
Naomi sighed. "Sorry about her. She gets that way sometimes. You shouldn't talk to her for a while. When mom gets emotional, her powers can go haywire. She once blew up an entire building because some guy tried to make a pass on her."   
  
  
  
"She's that powerful now?" Kurama asked quietly.   
  
  
  
Naomi nodded. "Yeah. She has to meditate daily just to keep them under minimal control."   
  
  
  
She walked into the cottage, and looked back at him. "You coming, or are you going to stand outside all night?"   
  
  
  
He quickly followed her. "So, why do you two live with Shishiwakamaru?"   
  
  
  
"We've always lived with him, since before I was born. Mom says that he took her in after the fire."   
  
  
  
"Fire?" Kurama repeated.   
  
  
  
"She doesn't like to talk about it, so I don't know."   
  
  
  
"Is…he your father?" Kurama asked. He was hoping that she wouldn't say that he was. He wouldn't be able to handle that.   
  
  
  
Naomi shrugged. "Maybe. Mom never talks about who my father was. Or is. So I wouldn't know. But I've never seen them hug or kiss or anything, so it's probably not him."   
  
  
  
"Oh."   
  
  
  
Naomi walked into a room that appeared to be the kitchen. There was a low table set up in the middle of the room, and it had four cushions around it. There was an old wood stove, and a sink to wash dishes at. It was sparingly decorated. There was also an ice chest in the corner.   
  
  
  
Naomi started rummaging through said ice chest, and Kurama sat down at the table.   
  
  
  
"So, how do you know my mom? Were you two friends?" She asked, pulling out two sodas. She smiled and held one out to him, and he accepted.   
  
  
  
"Well, we were…romantically involved." He said. This was a bit awkward for him, telling Amaya's daughter this.   
  
  
  
She just grinned though. "Give me all the dirty details so I can blackmail her into getting me a new snowboard."   
  
  
  
Kurama stared at her, surprised that she would want to blackmail her own mother.   
  
  
  
"Uh…"   
  
  
  
"Oh, come on!" She pleaded. "Please?"   
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, but I really shouldn't."   
  
  
  
She sighed. "Fine, fine. I can't make you tell me. Mom's got the dominance, not me."   
  
  
  
Kurama looked down at his soda. "I didn't think that Makai had soda."   
  
  
  
"We don't have soda here." Naomi said, taking a sip of hers. When he gave her an odd look, she elaborated. "When we all came back from the Ankoku Bujutsukai, we brought some home for mom because she couldn't come. She loves it."   
  
  
  
Kurama blinked. "You were there?"   
  
  
  
She nodded. "Uh-huh. Didn't get to watch any fights though. I went shopping."   
  
  
  
"Shopping…?" He repeated.   
  
  
  
"There was a really cool shop there. Sold lots of ningen clothes." She said.   
  
  
  
"Naomi, are you going to bed?"   
  
  
  
The two of them turned around, and saw Shishiwakamaru standing by the door.   
  
  
  
She nodded. "As soon as I'm finished with my soda, Shishi."   
  
  
  
"You'll need your rest."   
  
  
  
"Right, right."   
  
  
  
She stood, and smiled at Kurama. "Night, Kurama."   
  
  
  
He couldn't help but smile back. "Goodnight, Naomi."   
  
  
  
She walked past them, and gave Shishiwakamaru a quick hug before retiring to her room.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru then walked in, and took her place across from Kurama.   
  
  
  
"Kurama, I know what you were to Amaya. But she's done her share of crying for you." He said in a dangerously calm voice.   
  
  
  
"I never meant to hurt her." Kurama said. "No, I would **never** hurt her on purpose. Ever."   
  
  
  
"I'm going to make sure that you don't." The blue-haired samurai said. "I want you to stay away from her while you're here."   
  
  
  
"What?!" Kurama exclaimed. How dare he tell him to stay away from her!   
  
  
  
"You've hurt her enough. Don't make it worse. She's over you now, Kurama."   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru stood up. "Come on. I'll take you to your room."   
  
  
  
Kurama growled and stood as well. It was entirely uncharacteristic of him to act this way, but he could feel Youko's conscience emerging and trying to gain dominance.   
  
  
  
"You can't tell me what to do."   
  
  
  
The blue-haired boy narrowed his eyes. "While she's under my care, I can prohibit you from interacting with her if I want to."   
  
  
  
He turned and started walking down the hall. "Your room is the second door to the left. I'll kill you if you try to go anywhere near Amaya tonight."   
  
  
  
Kurama growled again, and stormed to the room that the samurai had indicated.   
  
  
  
How dare he tell him not to go near his own mate!   
  
  
  
_She's my mate…why is he acting like she's his?! She's mine…   
  
  
  
Mine…   
  
  
  
Or is she…?_   
  
  
  
He sighed and flopped face first onto the bed. He had no right to claim her as his anymore. It had been seventeen years since he had even seen her…   
  
  
  
But it hurt.   
  
  
  
He wanted her to be his, and he knew quite well that she was the cause of his darker half starting to awaken.   
  
  
  
_Damn…_   
  
  
  
He sighed and pulled the covers over himself. He could think things over in the morning. He was too tired now…   
  
  
  
He fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : There we go! Amaya's back, and she's pretty pissed. Then again, wouldn't you be if you were in her place? Her practically-husband supposedly dies, and she walks into a room and BOOM! He's right there. I'd be just a little angry.   
  
  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!   
  
  
  
**Youko** : T__T I like Kuronue too, but how could you like him better than Youko? Youko rocks! YOU'RE Youko, LOL!   
  
**FieryKitsune** : I've seen as many episodes as have been released on DVD in the U.S. But I've read a lot about what's going to happen - like Youko flying around in the sky with pink butterfly wings. I can't wait to see THAT episode, LOL. Oh yeah, and Hiei's going to - oops! Almost gave it away. Sorry!   
  
**Sun Priestess** : Remember? It hints that they did that, but it doesn't exactly say it outright. It basically says that they're getting dressed, and Kuronue asks him if they did, and Youko says yes. And I'm looking forward to the next chapter!   
  
**Dave** : No…it's not. Why did you say that? How does it sound like a Naruto X-over? I like Naruto, but I haven't read enough to know how the characters would interact.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Yes, she's immortal.   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : You'll find out who the father is in the next chapter.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : ^__^ Now you know! Amaya is Naomi's mother. The question is, who's the father? That's probably sounds like a stupid question, but it actually could be Shishiwakamaru. Ooohhhhhhhh…LOL.   
  
**miyako14** : I love Jin and Touya, and I needed a way to have them in the story.   
  
**jrairhead** : I don't think that I've ever gotten a review from you before…hmmm, still, I'm happy! Thanks for reviewing!!   
  
**Kaze Tsukai** : Hey!! You reviewed!! Oh, and please don't mention anything that's going to happen later on in the story - you'll give things away for everyone else.   
  
  
  
Review!!!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 3   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
The next morning, Kurama awoke a bit earlier than normal. He blamed it on his unusual surroundings at first, then thought better of that.   
  
  
  
He had awoke because he had heard voices.   
  
  
  
He guessed that in Ningenkai time, it was probably around six. About the time that he normally got ready for school. So, he got up and tried to tame his disheveled hair - a failed attempt.   
  
  
  
And seeing as how he was getting nowhere with that, he decided to get some breakfast instead.   
  
  
  
He walked back out into the hall, and down into the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Amaya was already there, and Midori was with her. The silver-haired tennyo was drinking a soda, and the phoenix was eating some rice.   
  
  
  
Midori smiled at him in greeting, and he returned the gesture. Amaya had her back turned, busily making some breakfast, and thus did not notice the kitsune as he stepped inside the room.   
  
  
  
"Morning, Kurama-kun." Midori said, once she had swallowed her mouthful of rice.   
  
  
  
"Good morning, Midori." He replied.   
  
  
  
Amaya turned around at this, and gave him an awkward smile. "Hello, Kurama. I didn't expect you to be up this early."   
  
  
  
He silently wondered if she had forgiven him yet, but decided to not bring up that subject.   
  
  
  
"Yes. I wake up quite early to get ready for school every day."   
  
  
  
She sighed. "I had forgotten that since you're reborn, you're like a child again. It makes me feel really…**old**."   
  
  
  
"Not at all! I mean, I do have to go through school again, but it isn't anything that I haven't already learned. And I'm still much, much older than you. You're still quite young." Kurama said.   
  
  
  
"Still, I feel like such a pedophile, being married - at least, the mate of - someone whose body is younger than mine." She said.   
  
  
  
He smiled. "But you certainly don't look a day over eighteen."   
  
  
  
She blushed, then smiled back. "Always the charmer. But thank you."   
  
  
  
"So…" Midori interrupted. "How old **is** your ningen body anyways?"   
  
  
  
He walked over and sat down at the table. "I'll be eighteen this coming March."   
  
  
  
"Right." She paused, before speaking slowly. "What…exactly happened the day that you and Kuronue died?"   
  
  
  
"Well, we went to the palace, but we got ambushed." He started. "We were running away, and the pendant that you gave to him snapped. He went back to get it, and…" He drifted off, remembering how the razor-sharp bamboo shoots had rained down upon his friend, killing him in one of the most painful ways that he could think of.   
  
  
  
Midori's crimson eyes watered up. "He died…because of my pendant?"   
  
  
  
Kurama nodded, and some tears fell down her pale cheeks.   
  
  
  
"Then how did _you_ die?" Amaya asked, sitting down as well. She handed him a cup of tea, which he gladly accepted.   
  
  
  
"A Bounty hunter. He shot me several times while I was running away." He said. He took a careful sip of his tea.   
  
  
  
Midori's sniffling was the only sound in the room for a minute, and Kurama regretted saying what he had. He decided to change the subject.   
  
  
  
"So…what happened to you two?"   
  
  
  
Amaya, seeing that her friend wasn't exactly in the mood to explain, told her part of the story.   
  
  
  
"Well, I had a dream about the two of you getting killed. I woke up, and the lair was on fire. We ran out, and there was a Bounty Hunter there. Touya killed him, and Jin caught me after I fainted. They brought us here to stay with them."   
  
  
  
"And how did you end up living with Shishiwakamaru?" He asked. He currently hated the blue-haired samurai, and he needed to know why she would choose to live with him.   
  
  
  
"Well, when I woke up, I was already here. Shishi took care of me, and nursed me back to health. I decided to stay here, and Midori stayed with Chuu. After a while, I found out that I was pregnant, and I had Naomi. Midori moved out and got her own home, and she even offered to take the two of us in. I declined. This place was like home to me, and I didn't want to leave it." Amaya said. She smiled slightly, and took another sip of her soda. "Naomi is moving out though. Chuu and Jin are helping her build her house. It should be done within the month."   
  
  
  
Kurama was still curious as to who Naomi's father was…   
  
  
  
He opened his mouth to ask that very question, when suddenly the silver-haired girl came running into the room.   
  
  
  
"Morning!!" She exclaimed, grinning.   
  
  
  
Amaya smiled back. "Morning, Naomi."   
  
  
  
"Ohayo, Naomi-chan!!" Midori exclaimed as well, suddenly happy again. Kurama decided not to comment on her mood swing.   
  
  
  
"So, whatcha all talkin' about?" She asked, flopping down beside the kitsune. She grinned mischievously at him. " Reminiscing about old times?"   
  
  
  
He blushed at the implication, as did Amaya.   
  
  
  
"Wh-what are you talking about?!" The tennyo stammered.   
  
  
  
"Kurama told me that you and him were 'romantically involved.'" Naomi said. "He wouldn't share the details, but that's okay."   
  
  
  
Amaya glared at him, and he put his hands up in defense with a nervous grin.   
  
  
  
"Wh-what? I didn't do anything wrong! I just said that we were together!" He protested.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun…" Midori said quietly.   
  
  
  
They all looked over at her, and the kitsune was glad that the heat was off of him.   
  
  
  
"Since you were reincarnated…" She started. "Was Kuronue reincarnated too?"   
  
  
  
Kurama blinked. "I'm…not sure. If he was, then I have yet to meet up with him."   
  
  
  
Midori suddenly looked angry, and the room suddenly heated up.   
  
  
  
"That isn't fair! How come you got to be reborn, but Kuronue didn't?! He deserved to live too!"   
  
  
  
Kurama was surprised at her outburst, as was Amaya and Naomi.   
  
  
  
"Uh…Midori-chan? Are you okay?" Naomi asked.   
  
  
  
Midori stood, and wiped her eyes. "No…I need some time alone right now."   
  
  
  
She turned and walked out of the room. Amaya sighed.   
  
  
  
"She misses him so much…"   
  
  
  
Naomi stood. "Um, well, I'll leave you two alone. I'll be at Chuu's if you need me."   
  
  
  
"We'll meet you there as soon as Shishi wakes up." Amaya said, smiling.   
  
  
  
"Right!"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
They all met up at Chuu's house, and tried to decide on a way to deal with the current problem.   
  
  
  
There were quite a few suggestions on how to track down the bugs and destroy them, but Touya's method seemed most reasonable. He suggested that they split into groups and try to find people infected with the bugs - because there were sure to be more nearby.   
  
  
  
So, they broke up into groups - Chuu, Naomi and Kurama in one, Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Midori in another, Shishiwakamaru, Amaya and Jin in yet another, and the final group consisted of Hiei, Touya and Suzuka.   
  
  
  
They each went off in separate directions, looking for any sign of the Makai insects.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naomi sighed. They'd been walking for hours now, and she was bored out of her mind.   
  
  
  
She decided to voice her opinions.   
  
  
  
"I'm bored!" She whined.   
  
  
  
Chuu and Kurama looked back at her, and she sighed.   
  
  
  
"We aren't going to find those stupid bugs!" She continued. "Besides, I don't see why we have to find them in the first place!"   
  
  
  
Chuu smiled. "Because if we don't find them, they'll find us. They'll crawl into your skin, an' make themselves a nice, cozy nest."   
  
  
  
The girl paled, and Kurama glared playfully at the taller man.   
  
  
  
"Chuu, don't scare her like that!"   
  
  
  
He smirked back at her. "Don' worry, Naomi-kun. If any bugs try to get near ya, then I'll protect ya."   
  
  
  
She smiled. "Thanks, Chuu."   
  
  
  
They kept going through the forest, the thick canopy of leaves blocking out any sunlight. Naomi listened carefully.   
  
  
  
"Hey, guys…"   
  
  
  
They stopped and turned around to look at her again.   
  
  
  
"Yes, Naomi?" Kurama asked.   
  
  
  
"Do you hear that…?"   
  
  
  
Both boys strained to hear what she was hearing. After a minute, Chuu gave her a confused look.   
  
  
  
"What? I don' hear nothin'." He said.   
  
  
  
She slowly turned so that her back was to them. "Exactly."   
  
  
  
All three were instantly on the defense, looking around for anything out of the ordinary. Each strained with all of their senses, trying to figure out where any attack might come from.   
  
  
  
Suddenly, a shadow leapt out of the trees and tackled Naomi to the ground. She screamed, causing both boys to spin to face her.   
  
  
  
"Naomi!" Both exclaimed at the same time.   
  
  
  
She growled, and shoved the youkai off of her, jumping to her feet. She held out her hand, and a strange light formed in it. She dived at the youkai, and started slashing at it.   
  
  
  
Kurama blinked in surprise when he realized what kind of weapon she was using.   
  
  
  
A reiken.   
  
  
  
Like Kuwabara's, only made of silver light.   
  
  
  
Chuu suddenly started fighting another one of the youkai, which had come out from behind another tree. Yet another attacked Kurama, until all three were fighting.   
  
  
  
These demons were tough, and none died easily. And none of three escaped without slight injury.   
  
  
  
Naomi looked at the youkai that she had been fighting, taking it in its appearance.   
  
  
  
It looked fairly human - almost like a ninja. She nearly giggled at that. The face was entirely covered, with the exception of where the eyes should've been. The rest of the body was clothed in black - baggy black pants like Hiei's, and a black vest over a long-sleeved black shirt.   
  
  
  
She reached out and started to pull the mask away, and gasped when a flame suddenly lit up from the inside. She withdrew her hand as though it had been bitten, and the 'ninja' deflated.   
  
  
  
There had been nothing inside the clothes…just a talisman.   
  
  
  
"They were puppets…" Kurama said. "Interesting…"   
  
  
  
Naomi shuddered. This was way too creepy for her liking.   
  
  
  
"Yeah. But why woul' anyone wan' ta send one of these blokes after us?" Chuu wondered out loud.   
  
  
  
"I just hope that the others are okay." Naomi said quietly.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kuwabara looked around the clearing that they were in. There were bodies everywhere, as though there had been a battle. He hated battles like the one that had obviously occurred here - ones that weren't really fights, just slaughters.   
  
  
  
There were bodies of women, children, and the elderly, and a few young men.   
  
  
  
He felt the urge to kill whoever had killed these people so.   
  
  
  
"Ew." Midori said, stepping over a body.   
  
  
  
"Hey, guys, I think I found something!" Yusuke called.   
  
  
  
They all ran over to him, and looked down at the pile of dust by his feet.   
  
  
  
"What's that?" Midori asked.   
  
  
  
Kuwabara reached out and touched it, and some of the white powder blew away in the breeze.   
  
  
  
"I don't know…" He replied.   
  
  
  
He suddenly cried out, and the other two looked at him in surprise.   
  
  
  
"Kuwabara, what's wrong?!" Yusuke exclaimed.   
  
  
  
He pulled back his finger. "I got a cut on a spike beneath the dust."   
  
  
  
They both glared at him for scaring them like that.   
  
  
  
He sighed. "I swear, when I find out who did this, I'll-" He cut himself off. "I'm thirsty."   
  
  
  
They both stared at him, and Yusuke sweatdropped. "You're thirsty?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah."   
  
  
  
"Fine. We'll find you some water, you big oaf."   
  
  
  
Kuwabara followed him into the nearby village, scratching at his arm. He had a bug bite…   
  
  
  
Oh well, he could take care of it later.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Dun dun dun…. Ok, there's a thunder storm coming, so I'll skip the replies for this chapter. They'll be in the next one. Also, there isn't time to spellcheck, so if you see anything, let me know. 


	4. Chapter 4

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 4   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya made a face as she stepped through the marsh. Her shoes were **not** made for this kind of outdoor travel, and she regretted not wearing different ones.   
  
  
  
She wore a pair of baggy pants, tied at her ankles, and a tank top that covered her stomach. Both were all black. But despite the fact that her shoes were cloth slippers with hard soles, she was thankful for them.   
  
  
  
But that was only because they were better than Jin's and Shishiwakamaru's.   
  
  
  
Jin didn't even **have** shoes.   
  
  
  
Her foot got stuck in the slush, and she started to fall forward. She let out a small scream as she prepared to have the gunk smooched into her face.   
  
  
  
But it never came.   
  
  
  
She looked up, and Shishiwakamaru smiled at her.   
  
  
  
"You should be more careful, Amaya-san."   
  
  
  
She smiled back. "Domo arigato, Shishi-kun."   
  
  
  
He let her go so that she could stand on her own, and Jin looked back at them.   
  
  
  
"Ya all righ' back there, lass?" He called.   
  
  
  
She nodded. "I just tripped."   
  
  
  
"Wan' me ta carry ya?"   
  
  
  
"That's alright, Jin-kun." She called back. "I'll be fine."   
  
  
  
He nodded, and they all resumed their walk - all though Shishiwakamaru kept a close eye on the tennyo, ready to catch her should she fall again.   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed inwardly as they walked. Not that she didn't mind the company of the samurai and wind master, but she would much rather have had it so that she, Kurama and Naomi were in a group.   
  
  
  
She loved her daughter dearly, and she wanted to make sure that she wouldn't get hurt…   
  
  
  
_Then again_, she mused, _she has both Kurama **and** Chuu there to protect her, should anything happen. I trust them to take good care of her._   
  
  
  
"Ow!" Jin exclaimed suddenly.   
  
  
  
"Daijobu ka, Jin-kun?" Amaya asked, hurrying over to his side.   
  
  
  
He nodded, and rubbed his arm. "Fine, lass. Just a little bug bite. I've had it for an hour or so, doncha know."   
  
  
  
"Alright. If you say so." She said slowly.   
  
  
  
He grinned. "Really, lass. Just a little bug bite."   
  
  
  
She smiled again. However, Shishiwakamaru frowned. He didn't appreciate the wind master moving in on **his** woman.   
  
  
  
He started to feel himself reverting to his original, demon form, and quickly calmed himself down.   
  
  
  
_Relax, Shishi. She's not going to fall for him. Besides, we all know that he doesn't like her that way. No, if anything, he likes Naomi._ He thought.   
  
  
  
_But what about the fox?_ The little voice in the back of his head called.   
  
  
  
_What about him?   
  
  
  
He **is** the woman's mate. He'll not go down without a fight._   
  
  
  
He frowned. That was right…they were mates. But she didn't seem to be showing interest in him anymore…   
  
  
  
"Shishi-kun!"   
  
  
  
Her voice snapped him out of his daze, and he looked to where they were, a little further up on the path.   
  
  
  
"Shishi-kun, I think there's something wrong with him!" She exclaimed.   
  
  
  
She had knelt down beside Jin, who was clutching his stomach and had his eyes squeezed shut. There was blood on the ground, and on Amaya - apparently, Jin had coughed it up.   
  
  
  
He quickly ran forward and kneeled down beside them as well. Amaya was crying, and that only distressed him more.   
  
  
  
"Shishi, what's wrong with him…?" She asked.   
  
  
  
The blue-haired warrior looked Jin over.   
  
  
  
"I'm not sure. But I think we should get him back to the village."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Touya looked around the rubble, trying to see if anyone was left alive.   
  
  
  
They had stumbled upon a village, and the entire population seemed to have been slaughtered. But the strangest thing was that some of them seemed to have had the bug before they died, because they found some piles of dust.   
  
  
  
He sighed, and stood.   
  
  
  
"No survivors here."   
  
  
  
"Nor here." Suzuka called as well.   
  
  
  
The ice master looked over at Hiei, who was standing out in the street area. He had his jagan uncovered, and it glowed and pulsed with an eerie green light.   
  
  
  
"Hiei, did you find anything?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"Nothing." He started pulling his headband back on. "There isn't a single living, breathing creature for a three mile radius of this place."   
  
  
  
"So…now what?" Suzuka asked. "Do we go back home?"   
  
  
  
Hiei stopped.   
  
  
  
Touya looked over at him. "What's wrong?"   
  
  
  
Hiei suddenly whirled around, katana drawn. He sliced through a youkai, which had appeared behind him. The black clothes fluttered to the ground, and a small paper flared up inside before dieing out.   
  
  
  
"What was that?" Suzuka asked.   
  
  
  
"That would be some kind of summoning. Someone was controlling it." Touya said. He got into a defensive position. "And where there's one, there will always be more."   
  
  
  
Suzuka moved closer to Touya, looking around cautiously as he did.   
  
  
  
"I'm not a fighter, so-"   
  
  
  
"I understand, Suzuka." Touya said.   
  
  
  
"There!" Hiei exclaimed suddenly.   
  
  
  
Touya whirled to punch one of the other summonings, destroying it effectively. He then moved on to destroy the other two that appeared right after its predecessor was 'killed'.   
  
  
  
"Do you see any more, Hiei?" The ice master called.   
  
  
  
"None that I can sense…" He replied.   
  
  
  
"We should…er, get back to the village, don't you think?" Suzuka said.   
  
  
  
"I'll tell the others." Hiei said. He was quiet for a minute, before opening his eyes.   
  
  
  
"What is it? Is something wrong?" Touya asked.   
  
  
  
"Amaya's too upset to really explain anything." He looked back to them. "We should get back to the village immediately."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naomi suddenly tensed up, and shivered, rubbing her arms to get some warmth back into them.   
  
  
  
"Something's wrong…" She said quietly.   
  
  
  
The three of them had stopped to take a break, and had built a fire near the side of the road. Chuu looked over at her, a concerned look on his face.   
  
  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I'm…not sure." She replied. "I think it has something to do with my mom."   
  
  
  
Kurama tensed up. "Amaya? Is she okay?"   
  
  
  
"Should we head back to the village?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
"No…" Naomi whispered. "Someone's in pain…"   
  
  
  
"Who?" Kurama asked. "Who's in pain?"   
  
  
  
She clutched her head, as it was ringing out in pain.   
  
  
  
"Can't you hear him screaming?" She asked. "I can…"   
  
  
  
"Who?!" Kurama demanded.   
  
  
  
"He wants someone…a girl…" She said, wincing as the pain intensified. "He's not saying her name out loud, but he's thinking about her. He thinks that he's going to die."   
  
  
  
The pain in her head stopped, and moved down to her stomach.   
  
  
  
"What girl?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
"Something about blue…I think…her name is Yuki, or something like that." She doubled over suddenly, and cried out. "Kami-sama, my stomach!"   
  
  
  
She screamed, and the world seemed to spin.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kuwabara screamed, clutching his stomach as he fell to the ground.   
  
  
  
"Yusuke, what's wrong with him?!" Midori exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"Kuwabara!" He ran over to his friend's side, pulling him into a sitting position. "Damn it, what's wrong with you?!"   
  
  
  
But the reiken-wielding teen couldn't talk. There was too much pain…   
  
  
  
_Yuki…na… I want to see you…before I die…because I think this may be it…_   
  
  
  
He shoved Yusuke away from him, and threw up.   
  
  
  
"Oh, Kami-sama!" Midori exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Kuwabara looked at his fingers, and saw that they were covered in blood. He had puked up blood.   
  
  
  
He slipped into darkness.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya paced back and forth across the room, stopping occasionally to glance at the wind master laying on the futon. He was ghostly pale, and kept slipping in and out of consciousness.   
  
  
  
And when he was conscious, he would beg for water.   
  
  
  
He kept complaining about being thirsty…   
  
  
  
That worried her, because it sounded a lot like the bug that Kurama had been talking about.   
  
  
  
She really hoped that that wasn't what he had. She hoped that it was just minor dehydration or something…   
  
  
  
But that wasn't likely.   
  
  
  
She jumped when the sliding door suddenly opened. She turned around, and saw Shishiwakamaru standing there.   
  
  
  
"Is he looking any better?" He asked, walking in.   
  
  
  
She removed her hand from its place over her heart, and shook her head. "No, he's not. If anything, he's getting worse."   
  
  
  
"Why don't you come out and have some tea? He's not going to wake up for at least a little while, and you'll need your rest as well." He said.   
  
  
  
She sighed, and reluctantly followed him out the door.   
  
  
  
"Shishi-kun…do you think that Jin-kun has that bug that Kurama was talking about?" She asked, sitting down at the kitchen table.   
  
  
  
He sighed, and placed the cup of tea in front of her. "Maybe, maybe not. It's hard to say."   
  
  
  
She took the cup, but felt no incentive to drink its contents. "I really, really hope that he doesn't."   
  
  
  
He reached out and took her hand in his. "I hope so too."   
  
  
  
The front door suddenly opened, and Amaya jumped, retracting her hand from his grasp. Both looked over at Touya, who had just entered.   
  
  
  
"Where is Jin?" He asked.   
  
  
  
Amaya blinked, then stood. She didn't know how he knew that there was something wrong with Jin, but she pointed to the room anyways.   
  
  
  
"He's in there."   
  
  
  
The ice master nodded in thanks, and walked into the indicated room. A second later, Hiei and Suzuka entered.   
  
  
  
"Is he alright?" The blonde inventor asked. "Old three eyes said he was in trouble."   
  
  
  
"Does he have the bug?" Hiei rephrased.   
  
  
  
"We're not sure." Shishiwakamaru said, standing as well. "We'd need the packet that Kurama has with him in order to tell for sure."   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed, and walked outside. She needed some fresh air, and some time to think. Neither one of the boys stopped her, nor followed her.   
  
  
  
She looked out over the land that surrounded the Shinobi village.   
  
  
  
_Please, come soon you three. For Jin' sake…_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Cliffie!!! Hahahaha!! Sorry, I'm a little hyper. I'm sorry that I lied to you all, but I'm keeping Naomi's birth a secret for a little while longer. Aren't I just a sweet little angel?   
  
  
  
Oh, and I just posted the website! It's still under construction, but I'm working on it. It's got some temporary pictures of Amaya and Midori. Yeah…uh… here's the link (delete the spaces)   
  
  
  
http: // www. Geocities. Com / darkchobit_home   
  
  
  
Leave a signature thingie in the guestbook.   
  
  
  
Replies to chapter 2   
  
  
  
**miyako14, Kaze Tsukai** : Thanks for reviewing!   
  
**FieryKitsune** : For the longest time, I needed subtitles too. Then I went to Ireland…@__@ If you think Jin's accent is hard to understand, try going to a place where you listen to it 24/7, and there IS NO subtitles!! X___X   
  
**Sun Priestess** : Yeah, I know. You'd think that if your girlfriend is clairvoyant, you'd listen to her if she said something was a bad idea.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : He might be a little OOC, but he needs to be to fit the part.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Maybe, maybe not…MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!   
  
**Katie E.** : A woman never tells her age!! But I'll let you know that I'm still in high school. Are you?   
  
**Kagome0102** : She doesn't hate him, she's just angry that he didn't even try to contact her for SEVENTEEN years. Wouldn't you be pissed at first?   
  
**Aya Komodo** : Again, maybe, maybe not…   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : More and more will be explained as the story goes on.   
  
**blue pixie dust** : Sine I love to torture my reviewers…maybe they will, maybe they won't…all depends on my mood…*cackles insanely* *starts coughing*   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : dun dun dun…   
  
Replies for chapter 3   
  
**miyako14** : Here you go!   
  
**crimson7319** : Thanks for the review!! I know, I did lie, but I want to keep it s secret and make things suspenseful for a while, because I'm evil that way.   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : Love triangle will intensify later…but I'm not gonna tell you how. MWAHAHAHA * starts coughing again * Uh…the evil laugh is giving me a sore throat. LOL.   
  
**Psychocatgal** : *grins* Thanks!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Hopefully…maybe…maybe not. You can't really tell by looks, because she's practically her mother's double.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : Everyone is telling me to reincarnate him. He probably didn't have time to think though, did he? He died pretty quickly…   
  
**Katie E.** : Again, everything will be explained later…dun dun dun…   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Now you know what happened to him! It was pretty nasty in my opinion!! ^___^ I'm so sadistic.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Thanks, Nisha-chan!   
  
  
  
*waves fingers* Owie! Okay, after all that typing, it's time for you to do your part and REVIEW!! Oh, and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check out my website!! 


	5. Chapter 5

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 5   
  
  
  
*snickers and starts cackling * I made a typo in the last chapter! She says that she's going to have gunk SMOOCHED into her face!! It's supposed to be something else, and apparently my beta reader didn't pick that one up! I should fire her! LOL.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Chuu hiked up the hill, trying to make sure that the girl on his back stayed there.   
  
  
  
After she had screamed like that, a silver light had erupted from her body, and she had fallen unconscious. Kurama had panicked immediately, but he had remained surprisingly calm.   
  
  
  
He cared about her, he had to admit, but he trusted that she was stronger than that.   
  
  
  
Kurama was silent as he walked beside the Australian warrior, casting a glance at Naomi every once in a while.   
  
  
  
"Are we almost there, Chuu? She's looking awfully pale." He asked.   
  
  
  
Chuu nodded. "Almost."   
  
  
  
They continued up the hill, stopping when they saw Amaya running towards them.   
  
  
  
"Chuu-kun, Naomi-chan, Kurama!"   
  
  
  
The fox beside him perked up slightly at the sound of his name. Amaya stopped beside them, and her eyes widened at the sight of her daughter.   
  
  
  
"Kami-sama, what happened to her…?" She asked, gently brushing some hair out of Naomi's face.   
  
  
  
"We aren't sure. She just…fainted." Kurama said.   
  
  
  
Amaya paled, and stared at him, and he quickly realized what she must have been thinking.   
  
  
  
"No, no! She doesn't have the symptoms of that bug." He said quickly.   
  
  
  
Amaya was greatly relieved at that, and nodded. "Right. Chuu-kun, please get her up to Shishi's house. She'll need to get some rest there."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Everyone made it back to the village by nightfall and Kuwabara was immediately put on bed rest with Jin. Naomi woke up an hour or so later after her group had returned, and said that she felt fine.   
  
  
  
Amaya was outside, watching the stars come out, and thinking about things. She was glad that her daughter was okay, and didn't have the bug…   
  
  
  
She smiled slightly. Chuu had been just as happy…   
  
  
  
She looked up at the moon, which was nearing its fullest. Her powers would peak when the moon was full, and that worried her.   
  
  
  
Over the last seventeen years, she had gotten stronger and stronger. She realized that by this full moon, her daily meditation may not be able to help her control her powers.   
  
  
  
She didn't want to hurt anyone, just because she didn't have control…   
  
  
  
Especially her daughter, or her friends.   
  
  
  
She thought about leaving, at least until the full moon had passed, just in case her powers erupted like she expected that they would.   
  
  
  
"Amaya-san…"   
  
  
  
She jumped, and spun to face Shishiwakamaru, who had just come from the house.   
  
  
  
"You scared me, Shishi-kun." She said, smiling slightly.   
  
  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."   
  
  
  
She looked back out towards the sky, leaning against the wall. "So, how are they?"   
  
  
  
"Jin and Kuwabara are stable. And…they do have the bug." He said slowly, walking over to her side.   
  
  
  
She sighed. "I was afraid of that."   
  
  
  
He laid a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him. His eyes softened slightly.   
  
  
  
"I'm sure they'll be fine, Amaya-san."   
  
  
  
"Am I just worrying too much, then?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"Amaya-san…"   
  
  
  
"Hm?"   
  
  
  
He lifted her chin up, and smiled slightly. "Please don't worry. Sadness doesn't suit you."   
  
  
  
Her eyes widened. _Kami-sama, is he going to…?_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama felt that he really needed to get away from this. Everyone was so serious - Midori was crying, and even Yusuke seemed to be worried. He _never_ worried like this.   
  
  
  
He decided to get a breath of fresh air to help clear his thoughts.   
  
  
  
He got up, and walked over to the front door. He slid it open, and froze as soon as he did.   
  
  
  
Amaya was standing there, her back against the wall, and Shishiwakamaru was kissing her.   
  
  
  
That was the breaking point for his darker half. He had been able to hold the kitsune inside, trapping him in a place where he couldn't harm anyone, but now he was swiftly losing control.   
  
  
  
He tried to hold him back, he really did.   
  
  
  
But Shuichi's personality was no match for that of an enraged kitsune.   
  
  
  
He transformed into Youko Kurama. The feared thief of the Makai.   
  
  
  
He growled. His vision went red with anger, and he felt the strongest urge to destroy the samurai for **daring** to touch **his** mate, and tear him limb from limb.   
  
  
  
He stormed forward, and punched said samurai squarely in the jaw, sending him flying across the yard.   
  
  
  
Amaya gasped, in shock at what had just happened. One second, she's trying to pull away from Shishiwakamaru to explain that she didn't return his feelings, and the next second he was ten feet away from her, and Youko was there.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun!" She exclaimed.   
  
  
  
The kitsune wasn't listening to her, however. He was glaring hard at the blue-haired boy who was pulling himself to his feet.   
  
  
  
The samurai returned the gesture, and drew his blade. "Kitsune, that was the last straw." He stopped to spit some blood out before continuing, "You can't have her. She doesn't love you anymore, you hear?"   
  
  
  
The youko was beyond words. He just started walking towards Shishiwakamaru, ignoring Amaya's calls to stop.   
  
  
  
He started fighting with the blue-haired boy, and Amaya started to panic. Neither seemed to be in their right mind, and they seemed to want a fight to the death.   
  
  
  
She needed to stop them quickly, before one got too badly hurt. She figured that she should probably stop Youko first, because he was more beyond reason at this point.   
  
  
  
But how…?   
  
  
  
She suddenly remembered something that she had read a long, long time ago about kitsunes…   
  
  
  
She ran over to Youko, and grabbed his tail, yanking it as hard as she could.   
  
  
  
The effect was immediate. Youko locked up, and Shishiwakamaru stopped slashing at him and blinked. The silver-haired kitsune fell backwards, clearly unconscious. He reverted back into his human form almost instantly.   
  
  
  
Chuu came running out of the house, and he blinked at the sight.   
  
  
  
"I'm guessin' you'll all need some help getting' that bloke inside, eh?"   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed, and nodded. "Thanks, Chuu."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama felt achy all over. He opened his eyes, and silently wondered how many people had gotten hurt when his youko half had taken over. One? Two? Maybe more? He had been pretty angry about Shishiwakamaru kissing Amaya, so he may have gone on a rampage.   
  
  
  
He realized that he was shirtless, and that his chest had faint white marks on it. Obviously, he had gotten hit with a sword, and Amaya must have already healed him. He blinked and looked over at the side of the futon, and saw that she had fallen asleep there, probably while waiting for him to wake up. He smiled slightly, and brushed her hair out of her face.   
  
  
  
_Kami-sama, she's still as beautiful as always…_   
  
  
  
Suddenly, a beeping noise filled the room, and Kurama jumped. He blushed sheepishly when he realized that it was just his communicator. He pulled said communicator out from his pocket, and opened it.   
  
  
  
Koenma's face was there, and he looked quite worried.   
  
  
  
"Kurama, I need you to return to Ningenkai as soon as you can." He said quickly. "There's not really time to explain, but-"   
  
  
  
He suddenly cut himself off, and seemed to be looking past Kurama. The redhead turned around as well, and saw Amaya rubbing her eyes. She looked over at him and smiled.   
  
  
  
"Morning, Kurama-kun. Who are you talking to?" She asked, crawling over to him.   
  
  
  
"Kurama…who's she?" Koenma asked. "And what did you two **do**?"   
  
  
  
Kurama blushed when he realized that Koenma could probably only see that he had no shirt on, and that there was a girl on his bed.   
  
  
  
"No, no!" He exclaimed. "We didn't do anything!"   
  
  
  
"What?" Amaya asked, looking confused.   
  
  
  
"Oh. You scared me for a second there, Kurama." Koenma said. "I thought that you and her had-"   
  
  
  
"Just tell Botan to have a portal open in fifteen minutes." Kurama said, cutting him off.   
  
  
  
He shut off the communicator, and shoved it into his pocket as he stood.   
  
  
  
Amaya looked confused again. "Kurama-kun, where are you going?"   
  
  
  
"I have to go to Ningenkai." He replied, pulling on his shirt.   
  
  
  
She stood as well. "Ningenkai? You're leaving? _Again_?"   
  
  
  
He sighed. "I have to."   
  
  
  
"Will you be coming back?"   
  
  
  
"I…I'm not sure." He answered truthfully. Koenma might want him to stay there for whatever reason he had for calling him back in the first place.   
  
  
  
"I'm going with you." She said.   
  
  
  
"With…me?" He repeated. He stopped buttoning up his shirt to stare at her.   
  
  
  
"Yes. I…I won't risk losing you again." She said. "And remember what happens when you tell me no?"   
  
  
  
He sighed, then smiled slightly. "Yes. But I wasn't going to tell you no anyways."   
  
  
  
She grinned, making her look more like her daughter.   
  
  
  
"Thank you, Kurama-kun!"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Midori asked to come along as well, for 'lack of anything better to do'. They met up with Botan in Ningenkai, and she had Kurama's car with her. She told them to get to Kurama's house, and to read another packet on the way there. She handed them said packet and ushered them into his car before flying away on her oar.   
  
  
  
Kurama was highly confused by this, but started the car anyways.   
  
  
  
Amaya jumped as the car rumbled to life. She was in the passenger seat, and Midori was in the middle of the back seat.   
  
  
  
Kurama realized that Amaya had never even _seen_ a car before, and had every right to be terrified.   
  
  
  
He smiled at her. "Amaya, it's okay."   
  
  
  
"What kind of beast is this?" She asked, brining her knees to her chest.   
  
  
  
"It's called a car, Amaya-chan." Midori said.   
  
  
  
"Car…" She repeated.   
  
  
  
Kurama started driving towards his house, and Amaya looked cautiously out the window.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun, this moves almost as quickly as you run!" She said, in awe at the fact.   
  
  
  
He had to smile again. She was like a child, the way that she asked questions about his car. He thought it was really cute.   
  
  
  
"Yes, it does."   
  
  
  
She reached out and ran her fingers over the buttons on the radio, and pressed one. The radio came to life, and she jumped again.   
  
  
  
"Voices!" She exclaimed. "Are there people trapped in there?"   
  
  
  
"It's called a radio. It does have voices, but there aren't really people in there. It's hard to explain…" He said.   
  
  
  
"Oh." She sat back, and watched the scenery go by. She was quiet for a minute, before saying, "You must think I'm a fool, Kurama-kun. You see these things every day, and know all about them, and I've never even _heard_ of a radio or a car before."   
  
  
  
He blinked, then turned onto his street. "I don't think that you're a fool."   
  
  
  
Midori snickered. "No, he thinks that it's cute!"   
  
  
  
Kurama seemed surprised. "Midori, you're a telepath?"   
  
  
  
"No. But it was all over your face." She said.   
  
  
  
"Oh…"   
  
  
  
He pulled into his driveway, and parked his car. He got out, and so did Midori. He walked around to the other side, and opened Amaya's door for her.   
  
  
  
She smiled, and accepted the hand that he offered to her.   
  
  
  
He helped her out of the car, but didn't let her hand go. He walked up to his front door, and opened it.   
  
  
  
"Mother, I'm back!" He called.   
  
  
  
They all walked into the house, and listened for a reply. There was none.   
  
  
  
"Hm…maybe she went out for groceries." He said. He let go of Amaya's hand, and walked into the kitchen.   
  
  
  
The tennyo looked around, and then slowly walked into the living room. She ran her hand over the couch, and walked around to the front of it.   
  
  
  
Her sea-green eyes widened at what she saw.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun, come quick!"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : MWAHAHAHA!! Cliffie of doom!!! I personally loved Amaya's reaction to riding in a car. It was pretty cute, in my opinion. ^_____^   
  
  
  
Just so you all know, I'm putting up Amaya's picture on the website today (the one that I drew). Keep in mind that it's not necessarily CLAMP good (they're the BEST) but it'll do.   
  
  
  
**miyako14** : Thanks! Sign the guestbook, while you're there!   
  
**crimson7319** : Thank you! And how about this chapter for SUSPENSE? MWAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAAA!!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : I bet you'll hit him with something worse than a mallet after this chapter then, eh?   
  
**Aya Komodo** : I speak in third person sometimes. When I'm really really happy.   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : Aren't they though? ^_____^   
  
**Sun Priestess** : You have my word that I will **NOT** kill Kurama again. For the…third…time…I've killed him a lot, haven't I? Considering that he's my favorite character, that's a little sick and twisted.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Thanks, Nisha-chan.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : here's even more suspense! Because I AM THE QUEEN OF EVIL SUSPENSEFUL CLIFFHANGERS!!!!!!   
  
**FieryKitsune** : Because I love my cliffhangers so, here's ANOTHER ONE!! ^___^   
  
**Katie E.** : I think it would be hilarious to see Amaya jumping up and down and yelling, 'Shishi! I love you! I'm your biggest fan!' like they did in the Dark Tournament. That would be PRICELESS! LOL. 


	6. Chapter 6

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 6   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama came running out of the kitchen, wondering what could have alarmed Amaya so. He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized what it was.   
  
  
  
Shiori was laying on the floor, looking very pale.   
  
  
  
"Kaasan!" He exclaimed, running over to her side. He lifted her up into a sitting position, and saw that she had a small red mark on her left wrist.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun, is she alright?" Amaya asked worriedly.   
  
  
  
He picked his mother up bridal style. "I'm not sure." He looked and sounded very worried.   
  
  
  
"Hey, guys! Guess what? Kurama, you're immune to these bug things. I think-" Midori stopped in mid-sentence as she entered the room, packet open in her hand. "Oh…not the time, eh?"   
  
  
  
"What are we going to do, Kurama-kun?" Amaya asked.   
  
  
  
He sighed. "We'll have to get her to…to Reikai."   
  
  
  
"I thought I heard Yusuke mention another girl…Keiko, I think it was." Midori said.   
  
  
  
"If these bugs are here in Ningenkai, then Keiko is at risk. So are Shizuru, Genkai and Yukina." He replied. He looked down at his unconscious mother, who was breathing heavily.   
  
  
  
"I'll take her there." Amaya said.   
  
  
  
"What?" Kurama blinked, staring at her.   
  
  
  
"I'll take her to Reikai. I want you to go help these people." Amaya said. She held out her arms. "I'll take her. She's light enough."   
  
  
  
Kurama reluctantly handed Shiori to the tennyo, and pulled out his communicator. Botan's face appeared on the screen.   
  
  
  
"Yes?"   
  
  
  
"Botan-san, I need you to come here immediately and bring Amaya and Shiori to Reikai." He said.   
  
  
  
"Right-o!"   
  
  
  
He hung up, and shoved the communicator into his pocket. "You need to be careful though, alright, Amaya? The bugs may be able to penetrate the barrier between the worlds - they might get into Reikai."   
  
  
  
She smiled. "I'll be fine, Kurama-kun."   
  
  
  
The door opened, and Botan came in. "Shiori-san, Amaya, we really should be going immediately." She said. "The bugs are getting to be too much."   
  
  
  
Amaya nodded, and she got Shiori onto the oar, and then got on herself.   
  
  
  
"Hold on tight!" Botan exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Amaya did as she was told, and they flew out into the yard, then off into the sky.   
  
  
  
Kurama watched them go, before turning back to Midori.   
  
  
  
"Okay. Now its our turn."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
The two ran down the streets, surprised at the number of bugs in the streets. They covered everything - the buildings, billboards, and even the people.   
  
  
  
Kurama blinked when he saw someone up ahead, fighting the swarm.   
  
  
  
It was a girl, with long, blood red hair that fell to her slim waist like a waterfall. Her eyes were a deep, sapphire blue, and they held a certain fire in them. She wore a white, spaghetti strap tank top, and a pair of dark blue hip hugger jeans.   
  
  
  
She was using fire, and was roasting any bug that came near her. Kurama was even more surprised when she saw that the girl was standing in front of Yukina and Shizuru. He also noted that Genkai was fighting as well. He couldn't see Keiko, however…   
  
  
  
He ran forward and started to help them, but Midori beat him to the punch.   
  
  
  
She unleashed a wave of flame, and it engulfed all of the bugs. She then ran to join them.   
  
  
  
The red-haired girl smiled in thanks.   
  
  
  
"Who are you?" Kurama asked. "Ningen, or youkai?"   
  
  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Mt name is Dawn, and I'm human. But I'm also a firestarter."   
  
  
  
Midori skipped over to them, grinning. Well, she was actually grinning at Yukina.   
  
  
  
"How kawaii! I can see why he cares so much!" She giggled.   
  
  
  
The petite koorime looked confused. "Nani? Who?"   
  
  
  
She shook her head, and kept grinning. "I assume that you're Yukina?"   
  
  
  
She nodded. "Hai. I am."   
  
  
  
"We need to get all of you to Reikai right away." Kurama said.   
  
  
  
"Daaaaawwwwn! I found her!"   
  
  
  
They all turned towards the source of the voice, and they saw that it was a boy. He was standing near Keiko's family's ramen shop, and he had the girl beside him.   
  
  
  
He was handsome looking, with jet-black hair that spiked out in every direction. He had his eyes hidden behind a pair of shades. He wore a white muscle shirt with a black leather jacket over it. He also wore baggy jeans.   
  
  
  
He ran over to them, and grinned at Dawn. "Told ya I would!"   
  
  
  
"And just who are you?" Midori asked, hands on her hips.   
  
  
  
He turned and looked at her, and promptly froze.   
  
  
  
"Mi…Midori?" He breathed.   
  
  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I know you?"   
  
  
  
He walked over to her, and pulled of his shades. Midori was taken aback by the violet orbs that were staring at her.   
  
  
  
"It's me…Kuronue." He said. "Do you…remember me?"   
  
  
  
"K…Kuronue?" She repeated, her eyes wider than before. "Really Kuronue?"   
  
  
  
He nodded. "Yeah."   
  
  
  
She threw her arms around his neck, and he hugged her back. It looked a little awkward though, because he was a good two heads taller than her.   
  
  
  
"Kuronue?" Kurama said.   
  
  
  
He set Midori down, and looked over at the kitsune. "Kurama?"   
  
  
  
Kurama grinned, and nodded. It was uncharacteristic for him, but that was how he felt. His best friend…he hadn't seen him in so long!   
  
  
  
He started snickering, and Kurama's grin turned into a frown.   
  
  
  
"What? Why are you laughing?"   
  
  
  
"Kurama, you look like a WOMAN!!" He laughed.   
  
  
  
The kitsune's eye twitched. "I do **not**."   
  
  
  
"You're sure as hell girly than you were before!!" He exclaimed, laughing even harder. "Kurama's a girl! Kurama's a girl! Kurama's a-"   
  
  
  
He was cut off when Dawn turned and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over, clutching his stomach.   
  
  
  
Dawn smiled sweetly. "Oops. Sorry, Kano-kun. Didn't expect you to be such a wimp. But at least you're a _quiet_ wimp now."   
  
  
  
"Kano?" Midori repeated.   
  
  
  
"My twin brother." Dawn said. She glared down at him. "Get your ass up."   
  
  
  
He stumbled to his feet, and glared at her. "Some sister you are. You're abusive."   
  
  
  
"All part of my charm, Kano-kun." She said.   
  
  
  
Ayame flew over to them, landing on the ground. Hinageshi, Botan, and Botan's friend Kiku landed right after her.   
  
  
  
"We need to get to Reikai quickly." Ayame said.   
  
  
  
They all got on with the different ferry girls, and they flew to Reikai.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama sat on the edge of Shiori's bed, holding onto her hand. He reached out and brushed some hair out of her pale face.   
  
  
  
Amaya was sitting beside him, seeming quite interested in her left palm. She was gently running her other hand's index finger down the center of it.   
  
  
  
He was very worried about his mother, he had to admit. On the way, Botan had told him that since she was a regular human with no other special abilities, she would most likely be dead within twenty hours.   
  
  
  
And there was no way to save her.   
  
  
  
He felt his heart twisting, and he wanted to cry, in a way. But the tears never came.   
  
  
  
He just kept stroking her face, and wishing that it had been him instead.   
  
  
  
But then again, kitsunes were immune to the effects of the bug, as were any person with fire-related powers, because the bugs hated heat.   
  
  
  
Amaya just kept touching her palm.   
  
  
  
"Are you worried about her, Kurama-kun?" She asked quietly.   
  
  
  
He nodded. "Very. She's got a very low chance at surviving."   
  
  
  
"Don't be sad." She said. "Everything will be alright."   
  
  
  
"How can everything be alright, when my mother is on her deathbed?"   
  
  
  
Amaya let out a dry laugh. "You want to hear something funny, Kurama-kun?"   
  
  
  
"What's that?"   
  
  
  
She smiled slightly. "It doesn't look any different from a normal bug bite. But it feels different. You can actually feel the bug squirming in your stomach."   
  
  
  
She touched her stomach, and Kurama slowly looked over at her.   
  
  
  
She smiled. "You don't need to worry about Shiori-san. I helped her."   
  
  
  
"Helped…her?" He repeated. "Amaya…what did you do?"   
  
  
  
"Just a little red mark…but it'll make sure that she survives." Amaya said quietly. Her smile faded, and se laid her hand in her lap.   
  
  
  
Kurama's eyes widened at the sight of the small red mark on her palm.   
  
  
  
"I saved her, Kurama-kun. I wanted you to be happy. I forced the bug out of her body with my powers." She said, looking at the ceiling.   
  
  
  
He grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him. "Amaya, what happened to the bug?"   
  
  
  
She held up her palm. "I made sure that it couldn't hurt anyone else, Kurama-kun."   
  
  
  
He gently touched the mark on her palm, staring at her in disbelief.   
  
  
  
"You…took the bug into your own body…?" He asked quietly. His heart was doing more than twisting. It ached and hurt, and he knew that he shouldn't be worrying about his mother anymore - he should be worrying about Amaya.   
  
  
  
She nodded and smiled. "Yes. I did."   
  
  
  
"Baka!" He exclaimed.   
  
  
  
She seemed surprised. "Aren't you glad that your mother is going to be alright?" She smiled, and placed her right hand on his cheek. "You looked so sad…I didn't want you to be sad, Kurama-kun."   
  
  
  
"Damn you!" He exclaimed, hugging her. "Kami-sama, you idiot…"   
  
  
  
She smiled again. "I know I am. But I want you to do something for me, okay?"   
  
  
  
"What?" He asked quietly, holding her tighter.   
  
  
  
"I want you to take care of Naomi for me." She replied.   
  
  
  
"Why me?"   
  
  
  
She wrapped her arms around him, and sighed. "Because she's your daughter too."   
  
  
  
Kurama was a bit surprised, to say the least. He had honestly thought that Shishiwakamaru was Naomi's father…   
  
  
  
"My daughter?" He asked. He was still a little doubtful about that.   
  
  
  
"Yes." She buried her face into his shoulder. "_Our_ daughter. And I want you to take her to Ningenkai when this is all over. Keep her there, with the only real family that she'll have left."   
  
  
  
"I'm not going to lose you…" He said. "Not again…"   
  
  
  
"Kami!" She pulled away from him, and started coughing up blood.   
  
  
  
"Amaya!" He exclaimed.   
  
  
  
She smiled weakly. "This hurts more…than Jin made it seem like."   
  
  
  
Kurama stared at her, and looked like he was about to cry. She was practically dead already…and there was nothing he could do about it.   
  
  
  
_Kami-sama…why is it that you want to torture me? I lost her for seventeen years…and now, when we meet again, are you going to take her away from me permanently?_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes**: Amaya's got it too! But I brought back Kuronue! Aren't you all happy about that?   
  
  
  
I got all of the profiles up yesterday, and I'm going to post Dawn's picture (by me) tonight.   
  
  
  
**crimson7319** : You called me evil, but now I'm REALLY evil!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Koenma's face would be priceless, wouldn't it?   
  
**FieryKitsune** : Yeah, petting his tail would've been better, but the situation called for yanking. LOL.   
  
**fuzzythehampster** : Well, she DID, but Amaya used her powers to force it out of her, so…   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : Was Dawn in character?   
  
**miyako14** : Here's your update! Thanks for checking out my site! But the only picture that I have for Amaya is the one on her profile - that's why there's no link for art yet. I'll do some pictures this weekend, and try to get them posted.   
  
**Aya Komodo** : Okay! I brought him back!   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Thanks for the review, Nisha-chan!   
  
**Nyoko Fujiwara** : Sorry, but I don't give refunds. LOL. 


	7. Chapter 7

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 7   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed. What was he going to tell Naomi? Would _he_ have to be the one to tell her that he was her father?   
  
  
  
He knew how he'd feel if he was in her position. He'd hate his father if he had never known him, and he suddenly showed up and said, 'Hey, I'm your dad, by the way'. He didn't want her to hate him…   
  
  
  
He looked over at Amaya, who was laying on another futon. She was pale, and her breathing was slightly labored. He reached out and brushed some hair out of her face.   
  
  
  
"You idiot…" He said quietly. Truthfully, he was mad at her. Sure, he would've been upset if his mother had died, but the mother of his child? That seemed to be worse at the moment. He hadn't seen her in seventeen years, and now he was going to lose her.   
  
  
  
The door behind him opened, and Kano entered.   
  
  
  
"Kurama, how is she?" He asked, moving to sit next to his friend.   
  
  
  
"She's…just sleeping." He replied.   
  
  
  
"You said something about a girl…Naomi, I think." Kano said. "Who is she?"   
  
  
  
"My daughter." Kurama said. He didn't take his eyes off of Amaya.   
  
  
  
"Your…WHAT?!" Kano exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Kurama whirled around and smacked his friend in the back of his head.   
  
  
  
"Baka! Don't be so loud! You'll wake her up!" He hissed.   
  
  
  
"Damn, you're worse than Dawn!" He said, wincing as he clutched his head.   
  
  
  
"Kurama…who's that?" Asked a soft voice.   
  
  
  
He turned back and saw that Amaya was awake now. Her eyes had a glazed over look, and she was watching Kano.   
  
  
  
Kano smiled, and knelt down beside her. "Hey, Amaya-chan. Long time no see." He said.   
  
  
  
She gave him a slightly confused look. "Nani?"   
  
  
  
"It's Kuronue. He apparently got reincarnated, as I did." Kurama said.   
  
  
  
Her eyes widened. "Kuronue-kun?!"   
  
  
  
She started to sit up, but Kano made her lay back down again.   
  
  
  
"Relax. Amaya-chan. You don't have to get up." He said.   
  
  
  
She smiled. "I'm really happy to see you."   
  
  
  
He smiled back. "I'm happy to see you too."   
  
  
  
"Have you met up with Midori-chan yet?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"Yes. We already met up."   
  
  
  
"I'm sure that's she's really happy. She's missed you a lot, you know." Amaya said quietly.   
  
  
  
"I missed her too. And I missed you as well, Amaya." Kano said.   
  
  
  
"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked.   
  
  
  
She smiled at him. "I'm okay, Kurama-kun. I can tell that you're worried. Don't be."   
  
  
  
He sighed. "How can I not be worried?" He smiled once more, and brushed some more hair out of her face. "It's hard not to be worried when you're sick like this, koishii."   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun, could you tell Naomi for me?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"Tell her what?"   
  
  
  
"That you're her father. I never did tell her." Amaya said quietly. She closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I've been such a terrible mother. Not letting my own daughter know her own past…"   
  
  
  
"Amaya…"   
  
  
  
Kano stood. "We'll tell her, Amaya-chan." He said.   
  
  
  
"You just stay here and get some sleep." Kurama said. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Botan-san and Ayame-san will watch over you, okay?"   
  
  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him for a minute.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun, I want you to know something." She whispered.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"Ai shiteru." She whispered. "And just in case…sayonara."   
  
  
  
"It's **not** goodbye." He said firmly. "I'm not going to lose you, okay? Kuronue and I will find a way to save you."   
  
  
  
"I'm not scared, Kurama-kun. I'm really not…" She let go of him, and laid back down on the futon.   
  
  
  
He stood, and smiled slightly. "Then you're very brave. Because I'd be scared, if I was in your position."   
  
  
  
He turned and walked over to the door, and Kano walked out. The kitsune stopped in front of the door, and looked back at her.   
  
  
  
"And Amaya?"   
  
  
  
"Yes?"   
  
  
  
"I love you too."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama, Midori, Kano and Dawn all went back to Makai, and to the Shinobi village. Kurama didn't say a word the entire way, and Midori and Kano chatted quietly about what had been happening over the past seventeen years.   
  
  
  
They climbed up the hill, and made it to the flat where the village was located. Naomi came running up to them, and she looked around.   
  
  
  
"Where's my mom?"   
  
  
  
Kurama hesitated before replying. "She…she's in Reikai."   
  
  
  
"WHAT?!"   
  
  
  
"No, she's not dead!" He exclaimed. "But…she got a bug."   
  
  
  
Naomi stared at him for a second. "She…she what?"   
  
  
  
"My mother had one, and Amaya forced the bug out of my mother's body and into her own." He said.   
  
  
  
"Great! Just great!" She said, throwing her hands into the air. She put one hand on her hip. "Then that only leaves a few of us."   
  
  
  
She wasn't saying anything, but Kurama could see her eyes watering up.   
  
  
  
"I mean, there's you, me, these three, Hiei, Touya, and Shishiwakamaru left. Everyone else got a bug in some way, shape or form while you were away."   
  
  
  
"Yusuke got one too?" Kurama asked.   
  
  
  
"I just said that, you idiot!" She exclaimed. "Are you really that frickin' stupid?"   
  
  
  
He was slightly surprised that his own daughter was talking to him like that, but then he remembered that she didn't know.   
  
  
  
Kano finally snapped out of the daze that he had been in. "This is…Amaya-chan's daughter?"   
  
  
  
She looked over at him. "And just who the hell are you?"   
  
  
  
"Practically your uncle." He grumbled back. "Got the same personality as your father. Too damn arrogant."   
  
  
  
"Who are you calling arrogant?!" She exclaimed, obviously missing the part about being like her father.   
  
  
  
Kurama glared at him. "I'm not arrogant."   
  
  
  
"You _were_." Kano replied, walking past Naomi, who was glaring at him.   
  
  
  
Midori rolled her eyes, and started walking towards Shishiwakamaru's house. Dawn walked after her, taking in the surroundings of the village.   
  
  
  
Kurama, Naomi, and Kano went into the house as well.   
  
  
  
Dawn was busy taking in the decorations of the house, and didn't see Hiei until after she had bumped into him.   
  
  
  
He narrowed his crimson eyes at her. "Watch where you're walking, ningen."   
  
  
  
She glared right back. "Sorry. Didn't see you. You were too damn short."   
  
  
  
They just glared at each other until Kano walked in. "Hey, it's Hiei!"   
  
  
  
Hiei then glared at him. "And who are you?"   
  
  
  
"You're the same as always, three-eyes." Kano snickered.   
  
  
  
Hiei's eyes widened slightly, for a split second. "Damn. I was hoping to never have to see you again."   
  
  
  
"Nice to see you too, Hiei." Kano said, walking past him and into the kitchen. He snatched an apple up off of the counter, and took a bite out of it.   
  
  
  
Dawn rolled her eyes, and then walked down into the hall, where Midori had disappeared.   
  
  
  
"I assume that you and Midori didn't have quite so much of a rocky meeting as Kurama and Amaya did." Hiei said.   
  
  
  
"Nah. We hugged, caught up, and all that stuff." Kano said.   
  
  
  
"So, do you have a ningen name, like Kurama?" Hiei asked.   
  
  
  
"Kano. Watanabe Kano." He replied. "Dawn's my twin."   
  
  
  
"That's great, but I don't give a damn about her." The fire-ice youkai said, rolling his eyes.   
  
  
  
Kano grinned. "Betcha you do. Betcha think she's reeeaaaaal cute. Probably the best girl **you** can get without scaring off with your third eye."   
  
  
  
Hiei growled. "Don't make me slit your precious voice box."   
  
  
  
"Oooohh! I'm trembling over here in my _fake leather boots_!" Kano said sarcastically.   
  
  
  
"And how would you know what kind of shoes you wear? Are you that conscious about them, or are you just gay?" Hiei retorted.   
  
  
  
"Dawn told me. I never would've had a clue otherwise." Kano said. "Boots are boots are boots."   
  
  
  
He rolled his eyes. "You're still a baka."   
  
  
  
"And you're still a shrimp." The raven-haired boy replied. "Tell me, have you grown more than an inch?"   
  
  
  
Hiei growled, and glared at Kano, who just grinned.   
  
  
  
"I'm going to go outside. Go entertain yourself with some of the blue idiot's hair products. That's one thing that you two seem to have in common. A love for cheap hair gel."   
  
  
  
He left, and Kano gaped after him.   
  
  
  
"I don't gel my hair, just so you know!" He called loudly after him. "It's natural!!"   
  
  
  
Midori came out of the back room, and glared at him. "Kuronue no baka! You woke everyone up!"   
  
  
  
"Oops. Sorry, Midori-chan." He said.   
  
  
  
She rolled her eyes. "That's okay. Just come on, and stop messing with Hiei. He's grumpy today."   
  
  
  
Kano snickered, and followed her to the back room, where everyone was. Chuu was in the back corner, with Yusuke next to him. Beside the Tantei was Kuwabara, and beside him was Jin. Towards the front of the room was Suzuka.   
  
  
  
Naomi was sitting by Jin's bed, and the wind master was guzzling down water by the jug. Each and every one of them with a bug seemed to get thirstier and thirstier by the second.   
  
  
  
Chuu called, "Oi, Naomi-kun! Ya got any alcohol over there?"   
  
  
  
Naomi stood and glared at him. "Chuu-kun, you shouldn't be drinking alcohol!" She walked over to him, and sat down next to him.   
  
  
  
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Why not? I'm gonna die anyways."   
  
  
  
She glared. "Don't say that."   
  
  
  
He shrugged. "It's true."   
  
  
  
She sighed, and hugged him. He seemed surprised, but did nothing to stop her.   
  
  
  
"Chuu-kun, I don't want you to say that. The others and I are working on a way to save all of you." She said. She pulled away, and blushed. "Uh, I didn't mean to hug you."   
  
  
  
He gave her another lopsided grin. "Tha's alrigh', sheila."   
  
  
  
She sighed, and pulled out a bottle of water. "Here. Drink this instead."   
  
  
  
"You're goin' to deny a dieing man a swig of his ol' bottle? Tha's jus' wrong, Naomi-kun." Chuu said, shaking his head.   
  
  
  
She growled, and stood. Fine. You want your stupid alcohol, then you can have it."   
  
  
  
She turned and stormed out of the room. Chuu stared after her, and Yusuke decided to speak up.   
  
  
  
"So…that didn't go very well, did it?"   
  
  
  
"No…it didn'." Chuu replied.   
  
  
  
Naomi came storming back into the room, and thrust the giant jug into Chuu's hands.   
  
  
  
"There." She said. "There's your stupid alcohol. It won't be the bugs that'll kill you - it'll be your stupid drinking habits."   
  
  
  
He opened his mouth to say something, and she just left again.   
  
  
  
Chuu sighed. "Well, here's to being the biggest idiot in the world." He said, raising the bottle slightly.   
  
  
  
Yusuke gave him a sympathetic look. He and the warrior had been talking before Naomi had come in, and he knew how his friend felt about her.   
  
  
  
Chuu chugged down the drink, and Yusuke chugged down his own drink of water.   
  
  
  
Things were starting to get tense, and he could feel it. And he had a feeling that it was only going to get worse.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes**: I feel so sorry for Amaya. T____T And Naomi STILL doesn't know that Kurama is her father. But I absolutely loved the Hiei / Kuronue fight! It was priceless, just like the one between him and Youko.   
  
  
  
**Story Weaver1** : It wouldn't work if he did. Because…well, because I said so! LOL.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : I'm sorry that it was depressing. Trust me, in the next chapter, things will lighten up. It may even seem a little out of place, but it's still good. But you'll have to wait. ^____^   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : She might, she might not. I haven't decided yet.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : No, I don't play that RPG. But I got the name firestarter from one of Stephen King's books. It's about a girl with pyrokinesis, which is what Dawn has.   
  
**miyako14** : Or I could be really mean and draw out the story, and not update for a loooooong, looooooooooooooong time…MWAHAHAHAHA!! …………By the way, I'm only kidding about that.   
  
**crimson7319** : Pain is good sometimes - it brings people closer together. Keep that in mind while you read- it'll probably come into play later. You'll see when it happens. Oooooohhh. I'm so mysterious…LOL.   
  
**Sycogerl64** : I should kill everyone just as a joke. LOL. I'm only kidding. 


	8. Chapter 8

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 8   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"This is all your fault!"   
  
  
  
Kurama got slammed against the wall, and was pinned there by the blue-haired samurai. His feet were actually off of the ground, and his shoulder ached from where it was being held.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru was so angry, that his horns had appeared, and his pupils were tiny.   
  
  
  
"It wasn't my fault! She did it while I was gone!" The kitsune protested. "If I could've stopped her, I would've!"   
  
  
  
"Bull shit!" He exclaimed. He threw the redhead to the ground, and he coughed up some blood when he landed on his stomach.   
  
  
  
"Shishi, I'm giving you my word that I would have stopped her if I had the chance." Kurama said, lifting himself onto all fours. His Youko side was begging to be let free so as to kill the blue-haired warrior, but he refused to let him do that.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru kicked him in the stomach, sending him rolling into the snow again. The cold bit at him, but he ignored it. He was more concentrated on how he was going to get the samurai to stop beating him.   
  
  
  
"Shishi!"   
  
  
  
Both of them turned and saw Naomi standing in the door.   
  
  
  
"Stop hurting him." She said, walking down the stairs. Her silver aura was flaring around her, causing her wavy hair to do the same. "I believe him. He'd never hurt my mom on purpose."   
  
  
  
Kurama stared at her in disbelief. She was sticking up for him… He smiled slightly at that.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru was none too pleased, however. "It was his fault in the first place. If he hadn't taken her to Ningenkai, she never would've seen his damned mother, and then she never would've tried to help her."   
  
  
  
Kurama growled at him, and Naomi's aura flared up even more, until it was like a giant flame around her.   
  
  
  
"Shishi! She would've done the same even if she hadn't gone with him, and I know that, and you know that. Stop blaming Kurama. I heard my mom say that she _wanted_ to go with him. It was her own choice."   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru stopped, and his face returned to normal. "I…"   
  
  
  
Naomi calmed down as well, and ran over to Kurama's side.   
  
  
  
"Hey, you okay?" She asked.   
  
  
  
He sat up, and glared at Shishiwakamaru. "No thanks to him."   
  
  
  
Naomi cupped his face with her hands, and closed her eyes. He felt a coolness wash over him, and his wounds healed.   
  
  
  
"Thanks, Naomi."   
  
  
  
"No problem." She stood.   
  
  
  
"How are they?" Shishiwakamaru asked.   
  
  
  
"Chuu's drowning his misery in alcohol, and the others are doing worse. Chuu seems to be the same …" She said. She looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure why, though."   
  
  
  
The door suddenly flew open, and Midori came running out. "Naomi-chan, Kurama-kun! Come quick!"   
  
  
  
The three of them ran in, each expecting something that something horrible had happened. Midori lead them into the back room where the sick were being held, and they all blinked. Chuu was drinking a lot of water, and he gave them a lopsided grin.   
  
  
  
"I fell much bettah now." He said. He drank some more water. "Jus' a little thirsty. But I can' feel tha' bug anymore."   
  
  
  
The three looked at Midori, who grinned.   
  
  
  
"I think that we may have found a cure for this thing."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"You mean…they all have to drink until they puke?" Naomi asked disbelievingly.   
  
  
  
"Yeah. Chuu was drowning himself in alcohol, and he puked all over the floor. He sat up, and said that he felt fine." Midori said. "And all the symptoms are gone. Of course, I wasn't in the room, but Yusuke says the bug was there on the floor. They squished it."   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed, and let his head hit the table hard. "Kami-sama. What kind of cure is that?"   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru let out a rare grin. "A damn good one. She'll be okay now…" He stood. "We need to get Amaya here so that she can have some of that…well, whatever Chuu was drinking."   
  
  
  
Kurama stood as well, and rubbed his temples. "Are you sure we can't just make them throw up **without** making them drink?"   
  
  
  
"Well, the alcohol makes the bug un-imbed itself from the infected's stomach walls." Midori replied. "So no."   
  
  
  
"What about the others? Do we give them some as well?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I thought that you would be smarter than that, kitsune." Came a voice from behind them.   
  
  
  
They turned around, and saw Hiei, Kano, and Dawn at the door.   
  
  
  
The koorime smirked. "Besides, it'll be funny to see what kind of things the baka says when he's drunk."   
  
  
  
Kano snickered. "Yeah, it would."   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed inwardly. He felt terrible about this already…despite the fact that it would save her, Amaya would be very, _very_ drunk…   
  
  
  
"I'll go get Amaya. You all stay here and get them some alcohol." He said.   
  
  
  
This seemed like a really, really bad idea…   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya felt terrible. Her stomach was churning, and she felt incredibly thirsty.   
  
  
  
_Kami-sama…I never thought that it would hurt this much…I never thought that dieing would be this painful…_   
  
  
  
"Amaya-chan…"   
  
  
  
She slowly opened her eyes, and blinked when she saw a small girl standing by her bedside.   
  
  
  
She seemed to be not a day older than six, and had long, midnight-black hair that fell to her ankles. Her hair was layered in the front, and framed her pale face. She had sea-green eyes, and they bore no emotion. She wore an all white dress that came to her ankles as well. She was barefoot.   
  
  
  
The first thought that ran through Amaya's mind was how this little girl could have gotten to Reikai in the first place.   
  
  
  
"Amaya-chan…" The little girl repeated. However, her lips didn't move. It was more like a feeling that Amaya had - this girl was addressing her.   
  
  
  
She sat up, and winced when her stomach protested the movement.   
  
  
  
"Who…are you? How did you get here?" Amaya asked.   
  
  
  
The little girl turned and walked slowly to the door. She stopped and looked back at Amaya expectantly. Amaya realized that the girl wanted her to follow her, so she stood.   
  
  
  
However, she promptly fell back to her knees and coughed up some blood.   
  
  
  
She looked up, and the girl was suddenly in front of her. The girl reached out and trailed a finger down Amaya's cheek, a sad look on her face.   
  
  
  
"I'm okay." Amaya said reassuringly, struggling to her feet. "What did you want to show me?"   
  
  
  
The girl turned and walked back to the door, and stopped to look back at the tennyo.   
  
  
  
Amaya managed to make it all the way there without falling over or coughing up blood, and she was proud of the fact. Her only problem would be if Botan or Hinageshi tried to come and check on her. They'd make her go back to bed, and she'd have to try to make it back to the door again.   
  
  
  
She opened the sliding door, and followed the girl as she half walked, half skipped down the hall. Amaya leaned against the wall for support, and started following her.   
  
  
  
Her whole body was protesting, but something told her that this thing that the girl wanted to show her was more important than her own life would ever be.   
  
  
  
The girl led her down several hallways, until they reached a pair of double doors. By that point, Amaya felt like she would collapse at any minute.   
  
  
  
The girl stopped and waited for her to catch up, and she pushed open the doors. The room was like an office, and there was a TV screen across from the desk. The walls and floors and ceilings were all green and blue, reminding Amaya of an ocean.   
  
  
  
The girl skipped over to the desk, and Amaya couldn't take it anymore. She fell hard onto her knees, coughing up even more blood. The pain brought tears to her eyes, and she couldn't even raise her head.   
  
  
  
Her tears pattered onto the floor, and she could sense that the child was watching her with curiosity.   
  
  
  
Amaya managed to get into a sitting position, and started wiping away her tears and sniffling.   
  
  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just that…it hurts so much…" She said softly, looking over at the little girl.   
  
  
  
The girl gave her a sympathetic look, and then pointed to the desk.   
  
  
  
"It's on the desk?" Amaya questioned.   
  
  
  
The girl nodded, and Amaya crawled over to the desk on all fours. She dragged herself into the chair, and looked at what the girl had been pointing to.   
  
  
  
A pile of pictures was there, as was a folder.   
  
  
  
Amaya started going through the pictures. Each was as gruesome as the next - they were pictures of dead people, entire fields of them. Women, children, men, and the elderly were all dead. A massacre…   
  
  
  
She looked over at the girl, who had busied herself with the hem of her skirt, fiddling with it.   
  
  
  
"What about this?" She asked. "What am I supposed to be noticing?"   
  
  
  
The girl just pointed at the pictures in her hand, and said nothing more.   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed, and looked back at the pictures. She flipped through them again, and stopped when she saw one of an aerial view of the field with the slaughtered people.   
  
  
  
The way they were laid out…it almost looked like a kanji symbol. She squinted at it, then sighed. She couldn't make it out…   
  
  
  
She set the photos down, and opened the folder. It had some files on talisman sendings, but nothing of interest to her.   
  
  
  
"What symbol is-" She turned back to where the girl was, and saw that she was gone. "this…?" She finished.   
  
  
  
She stuffed the pictures into her yukata to look at later, and slowly lowered herself to the floor. She started crawling towards the door, trying to ignore the pain in her stomach. She made it to the door, and slid it open.   
  
  
  
She crawled out into the hall, and sat up against the wall. She knew that she wouldn't be able to make it back to her room, but she was sure as hell going to try.   
  
  
  
She stood, and leaned against the wall for support. She was extremely thirsty at the moment, and was also very tired.   
  
  
  
"Damn all hallways." She muttered. Normally, she never would have cursed like that, but she was in a bad mood and she had been hanging around Chuu way too much.   
  
  
  
She started making her way back down the hall, trying to keep conscious. She couldn't see anything clearly, and she felt feverish. The corridor was spinning, and it was making her dizzy.   
  
  
  
She stumbled and started to fall, but someone caught her.   
  
  
  
"Amaya! What are you do think that you're doing out here?" Kurama exclaimed, rearranging her in his arms slightly.   
  
  
  
She smiled weakly. "Kurama-kun…"   
  
  
  
He sighed and picked her up bridal style. "You really shouldn't be up like this! What were you doing out here?"   
  
  
  
"The little girl showed me something…" She murmured. She turned her face towards his chest and sighed. "But she was gone…"   
  
  
  
"What little girl?" He asked. He started walking back towards the room with the portal, and he shifted her again.   
  
  
  
She winced. "Don't move so much, Kurama-kun…"   
  
  
  
"I'm sorry." He replied. "Now what little girl?"   
  
  
  
"The one with the long hair…" She said. "She had eyes like me, but she had long black hair."   
  
  
  
"Are you sure? Because I didn't see a girl when I was coming down the hall."   
  
  
  
"I'm positive." She said. "Where are you taking me?"   
  
  
  
"Back to Makai. We found a cure." He said. "It's rather disturbing, but it's still a cure."   
  
  
  
Amaya smiled again, though he couldn't see. This was wonderful…she didn't care how bad this cure was.   
  
  
  
_I'll be able to be with my daughter again…_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but deal with it. I haven't had much time lately, and I wanted to give you all **something** to read.   
  
  
  
**Story Weaver1** : I was looking at your profile…you're really a guy? Damn, I'm a bit slow. But you'd be the first male I've ever seen on fanfiction.net. Still, that's cool! I'm just feeling a but slow today…LOL. My sister asked me to pass the ketchup, and I handed her pickles…that's how bad it is. And Shishi knows that they're mates, but he's kinda in denial…he thinks that Amaya doesn't love Kurama anymore. But we all know that she still does.   
  
**Katie E.** : Actually, the drama is coming a bit later. First, we have to have the funny. ^_____^   
  
**Aya Komodo** : If they die, it will be from alcohol poisoning…LOL.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : There's your cure, Nisha-chan! And it's a damn funny one, if I do say so myself!   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : I'm glad that nobody can guess what's going to happen! That makes me feel like I can actually write a good story.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : That's 'cause Kuronue and Hiei ARE priceless! I love them! They're my comic relief!!   
  
**crimson7319** : Now your only suspense is 'what the hell will they do while they're drunk'?   
  
**miyako14** : Actually, it was supposed to be Shishi's hair products, but Botan'll work too. Actually, it didn't even occur to me that she has blue hair too. *bonks self on head*   
  
**Sun Priestess** : Actually, when I was trying to find a picture of Amaya, I used the girl from Fruits Basket. I've never seen it before. Is it any good? If it is, I'll look into the DVDs. And I can't tell you the ending, or even what it'll be like. ^____~ Doncha just hate me?   
  
**MoonbeamMarik'skoi4456** : I'm debating on who should be the one to tell Naomi - Amaya, Kurama, or both.   
  
  
  
Review now, everyone!! 


	9. Chapter 9

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 9   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"You want me to get drunk so that I can puke up a bug?" Amaya asked.   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed and nodded. "Yes. It'll get the bug out of your stomach."   
  
  
  
"When you said that you knew a cure, I figured that it would be something along the lines of surgery. Not getting drunk." She said, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest.   
  
  
  
Kurama had brought Amaya back to Shishiwakamaru's house, and out her in the room with the others. The blue-haired samurai had been overjoyed to see her, but Kurama had actually growled in warning when he tried to go near her. Naomi had been happy to see her mother as well, and they had hugged. The others had greeted her, and she seemed to be much happier than when she was in Reikai.   
  
  
  
Now, they were all gathered in the room, passing out alcohol to everyone - with the exception of those not infected, and Chuu, who was restricted to water while he recovered.   
  
  
  
Amaya eyed her drink warily. "I don't like alcohol. It tastes funny."   
  
  
  
Kurama, who was sitting next to her, sighed. "I know, but it'll get rid of the bug."   
  
  
  
She sighed as well. "Right. Bottoms up, as Chuu would say." She raised her glass, and downed the whole thing in one shot.   
  
  
  
"Damn. She sure knows how to drink." Kano said. He was sitting on Kurama's other side, and Midori was next to him.   
  
  
  
The phoenix giggled. "Amaya-chan isn't as young as she's seems. She's gotten drunk before." In a lower voice, so that only Kano could hear, she added, "On the anniversary of the day you two were killed, after Naomi-chan was already in bed."   
  
  
  
Kano got a guilty look, and looked back at her. "I hope that you weren't that bad."   
  
  
  
She shook her head. "Nah. I had a feeling that you were out there somewhere. I was really depressed for about a year afterwards through."   
  
  
  
He sighed, and took her hand. "I'm sorry."   
  
  
  
She smiled. "It's okay." She suddenly smirked slyly. "You should kiss me to make up for it."   
  
  
  
He stared at her for a second before smirking as well. "That sounds fair."   
  
  
  
He leaned over and kissed her, and Yusuke made a cat call. Midori quickly pulled away, blushing. She glared at the tantei.   
  
  
  
"Dick head. I should flame your sorry ass." She growled.   
  
  
  
He snickered, then took a swig of his drink. "Like I'm scared of that."   
  
  
  
Naomi, from her position next to Jin, sighed. "Kami-sama, this is going to be interesting."   
  
  
  
"Got that right." Hiei said. He and Dawn were standing near the half-tennyo.   
  
  
  
"I just hope my mom doesn't say anything _too_ embarrassing." She said.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Everyone had successfully gotten drunk. And now Kurama was seriously regretting giving **any** of them alcohol.   
  
  
  
Amaya was worse than he thought that she would be. She currently had her arm around his shoulders, and she was attempting to talk to him. Jin had crawled over to her and laid his head in her lap, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was sobbing about his life, and something incoherent about bunnies. Suzuka had long since passed out, having gotten rid of his bug.   
  
  
  
"Ya know, lady, I really like your hair." Amaya slurred. She hiccupped, and looked back at Kurama. "Can I pet it?"   
  
  
  
"Uh…"   
  
  
  
She reached out and touched his hair, and started giggling. She then looked down at Jin, and got a confused look. "Whatcha doin' down there?"   
  
  
  
"And then I was huggin' him one day, and he went SNAP! Just like tha'! So I set him down, an' poked him with a stick, but he wouldn't move. So I poked 'im with Shishi's sword, an' 'e still wouln' move. An' I threw 'im in a bathtub, an' 'e STILL wouln' move, an' Touya tol' me ta throw him out in the trash, an' I tol' him tha Mr. Fluffy Butt was too good for the trash." Jin sobbed.   
  
  
  
"There, there, Snugglebear." Amaya crooned. Kurama raised an eyebrow at her. "The bunny'll be fine, I'm sure…"   
  
  
  
"Mime?! WHERE?!" He exclaimed, clinging to Amaya even tighter.   
  
  
  
"Wha? No, no mimes…" Amaya said, shaking her head.   
  
  
  
"They're in league with the pink elephant mafia!" Yusuke exclaimed. He looked over at Shishiwakamaru, and gave him a lopsided grin. "Right, Keikoi?"   
  
  
  
"I'm NOT your 'Keikoi'." He growled.   
  
  
  
"Shaddap, Blueberry." Amaya said. "Don' be makin' funna her." She pointed at Yusuke, who started giggling.   
  
  
  
Amaya hiccupped again, and pointed at Chuu. "You're drunk, ya know that? Really, _really_ drunk."   
  
  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Not as bad as you, sheila."   
  
  
  
She pointed at Kuwabara, who kept guzzling alcohol. "An' _you_." He looked over at her, and she pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're so ugly, not even a KITTEN could love ya."   
  
  
  
"Eikichi _does_ love me!" He exclaimed, sobbing.   
  
  
  
She looked over at Yusuke, and narrowed her eyes. "And you…you…you gel your hair." She said. "You must be GAY."   
  
  
  
He just drank more of the alcohol and pointed back at her. "Oh yeah? Wanna make somethin' of it, ya mafia-loving WHORE?!"   
  
  
  
Kurama nearly jumped up and strangled him for calling his mate a whore, but remembered that he was incredibly drunk, and held himself back.   
  
  
  
"Shaddap. At least I don't smell like a MONKEY." She retorted.   
  
  
  
"Ooh. You're good." Yusuke said, sitting back against the wall. "_Real_ good. But I know where you live, so watch your dogs. They may have sticks up their butts tomorrow."   
  
  
  
"Don' threaten my dogs. 'Cause then I'll have to start threatening your minkeys."   
  
  
  
"My minkeys? Nuh-uh. Don't go there, girlfriend." He said, snapping his fingers. "Don't go there."   
  
  
  
"I ain't your girlfriend." She said. "And I've BEEN there."   
  
  
  
She looked over at Shishiwakamaru, who was staring at her. "And jus' what are you lookin' at, ya blueberry pie?"   
  
  
  
She got up, and started crawling on all fours over to him. Jin still clung to her waist, getting dragged along as she went. She got really close to Shishiwakamaru's face, and glared. He looked down at the wind master, surprised at the fact that he wouldn't let go.   
  
  
  
"Yo." Amaya said, bringing his attention back to her. "Look at me when I'm talkin' to ya, lady." She slurred. She hiccupped.   
  
  
  
"Amaya-san, you should sit back down." He said slowly.   
  
  
  
She looked confused. "Who's Amaya? I'm Bond. James Mark Anthony Tony Bob Bond."   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"Huh?" Amaya replied. "Uh-huh, thought so. I knew you liked cheese, but the mafia didn' believe me when I told them. You should tell them. They like you, blueberry."   
  
  
  
"Go sit back down."   
  
  
  
"I thought so." She said. She turned, and started crawling back towards Kurama, and Jin still wouldn't let go of her waist.   
  
  
  
She flopped back down beside him, and laughed. She looked over at Dawn. "Lady, you're a pyromaniac psycho-bitch."   
  
  
  
Dawn raised an eyebrow. "I'd never believe the words of a drunken woman."   
  
  
  
Hiei smirked. "What about the words of a sober man who agrees with the words of a drunken woman?"   
  
  
  
She glared at him. "Then I'd have to prove you right, and make sure you have no children in the process."   
  
  
  
His smirk faded, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "You wouldn't dare."   
  
  
  
"Wouldn't I?" She said, smiling sweetly.   
  
  
  
He scooted away from her slightly, and she laughed.   
  
  
  
Amaya looked over at Kano, and snatched his glass of sake from him. "Mine."   
  
  
  
"MIME?! WHERE?!" Jin exclaimed suddenly.   
  
  
  
Amaya downed the alcohol, and pet Jin's head. "No mimes, baby. No mimes."   
  
  
  
Kurama was about ready to shoot himself. He knew it would be a really bad idea to give her alcohol, and she was proving him right.   
  
  
  
She looked back at Kano, and slowly reached out towards him. She poked his hair, and quickly withdrew her hand. Her eyes widened.   
  
  
  
"Is…is it real?" She asked.   
  
  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, my hair is real." He said.   
  
  
  
"Can I pet your porcumapine?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"Can I pet your porcumapine?"   
  
  
  
"Uh…go ahead." He said awkwardly.   
  
  
  
She reached out and started petting his hair, causing the phoenix beside him to giggle.   
  
  
  
"Can I pet your 'porcumapine' too, Kuro-chan?" She said sarcastically.   
  
  
  
"No, you can't, Midori." He said.   
  
  
  
Amaya stopped petting his hair, and looked back at Kurama. She poked him in the chest.   
  
  
  
"Lady, you should get some clothes on. Nobody wants to see those boobs hangin' out like that." She said.   
  
  
  
"First of all, I'm not a lady, and second of all, I'm fully clothed." He said.   
  
  
  
She stared at him blankly. "Have we met?"   
  
  
  
He sighed. "Yes, we've met."   
  
  
  
She turned to face him, and Jin rearranged himself so his head was on her lap again. "Lady, I've got something important to tell you."   
  
  
  
"What?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"It's really important." She said.   
  
  
  
"Okay. What is it?"   
  
  
  
She smiled. "It's really, really important."   
  
  
  
"FINE. What is it?" Kurama asked, quickly losing patience.   
  
  
  
"Okay. It's-"   
  
  
  
She promptly threw up all over his lap, and he kept staring at her.   
  
  
  
"That it, Amaya?"   
  
  
  
"Uh-huh." She said. She fell over onto the ground, and Jin STILL wouldn't let go of her.   
  
  
  
The bug started crawling away, and Touya stepped on it, killing it.   
  
  
  
"Well, at least she'll be okay now." He said.   
  
  
  
Kurama stood. "I'm going to go get washed up."   
  
  
  
He left, and Touya got Amaya into her futon. He tried to pry Jin off of her, to no avail.   
  
  
  
"Jin, get off of her!"   
  
  
  
"No!!" He exclaimed. "I'm not lettin' go a' my mommy!"   
  
  
  
"She's NOT your mommy!" Touya exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Jin curled up into the fetal position, still clinging to her, and pouted up at the ice master. "Pwease?"   
  
  
  
He sighed. "If you'll puke in the bathroom, then I'll let you stay with your 'mommy'."   
  
  
  
"Okay!" Jin exclaimed happily, letting go of Amaya and crawling out the door.   
  
  
  
Chuu started laughing, and Naomi sighed.   
  
  
  
"And I was hoping that my mom wouldn't do anything embarrassing."   
  
  
  
Chuu looked over at her, and his eyes softened. She looked over at him.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"Just thinking…" He said.   
  
  
  
"About?"   
  
  
  
"About how beautiful you are." He replied.   
  
  
  
She blushed furiously, and looked away. "You're too drunk to know what you're talking about."   
  
  
  
He made her look at him, and she kept blushing.   
  
  
  
"Chuu, if you're going to do what I think you're going to do, then I'm letting you know that I **will** slap you." She stammered.   
  
  
  
"It'll be worth it." He replied.   
  
  
  
He leaned over and kissed her, and she tensed up.   
  
  
  
Yusuke let out a hoot, as did Kuwabara. Shishiwakamaru stared in disbelief, and Touya just shook his head. Jin came skipping back into the room, announcing quite loudly that he'd thrown up on Kurama when he saw him in the hall.   
  
  
  
Chuu pulled away, and said, "Thought ya said you were goin' ta slap me, Naomi-kun."   
  
  
  
She had a dazed look. "What…?"   
  
  
  
He smirked. "Ya said you were goin' ta slap me if I kissed ya."   
  
  
  
"Did I really?" She asked. She suddenly pulled him in for a kiss, and it was his turn to be surprised. He had really been expecting a slap…   
  
  
  
Kurama was surprised as well, when he entered the room and saw his daughter kissing Chuu. He stared, and his mind blanked.   
  
  
  
Touya looked over at him. "Kurama? You okay?"   
  
  
  
"She's…kissing Chuu." He said.   
  
  
  
"Yes, she is." The ice master replied. "Is that bad?"   
  
  
  
"She's kissing Chuu." He repeated.   
  
  
  
"Yes, I can see that."   
  
  
  
"But...you don't understand." Kurama said, looking over at him. "She's **kissing** Chuu."   
  
  
  
"Yes." Touya said, putting emphasis on the word. "I know that."   
  
  
  
"But…but…" He looked back at the couple, who were still kissing. "She can't kiss Chuu."   
  
  
  
"Why not?"   
  
  
  
"Because…because she can't!" Kurama exclaimed. "Besides, I thought she liked Jin!"   
  
  
  
The ice master chuckled at that. "They're like siblings. Neither likes each other as anything other than that."   
  
  
  
"She can't kiss Chuu!" He exclaimed again.   
  
  
  
"Let it drop, fox." Shishiwakamaru said.   
  
  
  
"But-but!"   
  
  
  
"Let it drop."   
  
  
  
Kurama sighed, and rubbed his eyes. "Kami-sama, she's kissing Chuu."   
  
  
  
This was definitely worse than he had expected it to be.   
  
  
  
And he was more than a little freaked out by the fact that his only daughter was making out with a drunken Australian warrior.   
  
  
  
He sighed.   
  
  
  
_Kami-sama, what a night…_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Awwwww! I just love that pairing. I wanted to get her together with someone that would shock the hell out of Kurama, making Chuu the perfect guy. Plus their personalities match wonderfully.   
  
  
  
**Due to my failing grades (Damn Geometry) I may or may not be able to update as often as I normally would.**   
  
  
  
Just so you all know, you should check out the website about once a week. I usually post at least one new thing on there weekly. In case you forgot the address, here it is:   
  
  
  
http: // www. geocities. com/ darkchobit_home   
  
  
  
**miyako14** : *grins* Now you know!!   
  
**crimson7319** : Was that funny enough for you? I thought it was!!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Yes, his drunkenness is coming in handy…but this will most likely be the only time that it does. LOL.   
  
**Kagome0102** : Once Amaya is sober again, they'll talk about it.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Thank you, Nisha-chan!   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : You can thank LuckyKoorime. She helps me with all of my plot ideas (she does the action, I do the romance/comedy) and she watches a lot of Angel...the bugs are based on an episode of Angel, and in that episode they were slugs. But I thought that mosquitos were slightly less disgusting than slugs crawling inside your body... And thankfully, they aren't real. ^____^   
  
**FieryKitsune** : They'll discuss the bug in the next chapter   
  
**MoonbeamMarik'skoi4456** : LOL! It was pretty funny, ne? And I can't answer your question as to who the little girl is. she'll get explained later.   
  
**Katie E.** : Probably the only time anyone will aplaud for Chuu's drunkiness. Jin is actually derived from the word 'Djinn', which is a wind spirit. Gin, I think, is the alcohol.   
  
  
  
Review!! 


	10. Chapter 10

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 10   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya awoke with the biggest headache of her life. Her head throbbed, and she squeezed her eyes shut at the pain.   
  
  
  
She was aware of someone with their face in her chest…   
  
  
  
She looked down, and saw Jin snuggling her. She blushed furiously, and gently pried him off of herself. She groaned and sat up, her head swimming at this point.   
  
  
  
"Amaya?"   
  
  
  
She looked over at Kurama, who had been sitting beside her. He had a concerned look on his face, and she smiled reassuringly at him.   
  
  
  
"Ohayo, Kurama." She whispered, so as to not wake the others. "I'm fine. Just a little headache, is all."   
  
  
  
He looked like he didn't believe her, but said nothing more.   
  
  
  
She stood, and attempted to fix her wrinkled yukata. She pulled the covers over Jin, and looked around the room.   
  
  
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke were snoring loudly, and Shishiwakamaru was sleeping a bit more quietly. Touya was in the corner, sleeping sitting up. Suzuka was face down in his pillow.   
  
  
  
Amaya smiled at the couples around the room.   
  
  
  
Midori and Kano had fallen asleep leaning against each other, and she was clasping his hand. Dawn had apparently fallen over in her sleep, and had her head on Hiei's shoulder, and he had his cheek against the top of her head. Amaya's smile turned into a full out grin when she saw that Chuu had his arm around Naomi's waist, and they were sleeping next to each other.   
  
  
  
Kurama stood as well, taking care not to wake up Kano. He looked over at the tennyo, and wondered what she was grinning about.   
  
  
  
Then again…did it really matter, as long as she was happy?   
  
  
  
He walked over to her, and she seemed to snap out of her daze. She looked up at him, and he smiled.   
  
  
  
He leaned over, and whispered into her ear, "Come on. Let's get some breakfast."   
  
  
  
She nodded, and started walking towards the door, stepping over Jin as she did. She opened the door, and slipped out, Kurama behind her. She practically skipped to the kitchen, and stopped to grin at him.   
  
  
  
He was confused by her unusually childish behavior, and wondered what the cause was.   
  
  
  
They went into the kitchen, and she did a twirl. He leaned in the doorway, and crossed his arms over his chest. He was really curious now.   
  
  
  
"What's got you so happy, Amaya?" He asked,   
  
  
  
She grinned and grabbed his hands. "Kurama-kun, didn't you see Naomi-chan and Chuu?" She exclaimed excitedly.   
  
  
  
He blinked. "What about them?"   
  
  
  
"He's liked her for the longest time, Kurama-kun! He was entirely convinced that she hated him, but- oh, didn't you _see_ them?"   
  
  
  
"Well, they kissed last night." He said slowly.   
  
  
  
She stopped, and if possible, her grin widened. "Really?"   
  
  
  
He nodded. He didn't know why she was so happy about that. He didn't think that Chuu was exactly the best man for his daughter to be with…   
  
  
  
But Amaya laughed happily and threw her arms around his neck.   
  
  
  
"This is wonderful!" She exclaimed.   
  
  
  
Well, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop her if she was going to hug him like _that_…   
  
  
  
He felt something poke him in the chest, and he gently pushed her off of him. She gave him a confused look.   
  
  
  
"What is it, Kurama-kun?"   
  
  
  
He looked down at her chest, and saw a piece of paper sticking out of her yukata. He pointed.   
  
  
  
"What's that?"   
  
  
  
She looked down as well, and blushed in embarrassment.   
  
  
  
"Oh! For a second there, I thought you were staring at my chest for the heck of it!" She said.   
  
  
  
He blushed. "N-No!"   
  
  
  
She smirked slyly. "It's not bad - I _am_ your mate, after all."   
  
  
  
He blushed even more, surprised at how forward she was being. But he could sense that his youko side was quite happy about that…   
  
  
  
She pulled some pictures from her yukata, and started flipping through them. She held up one for him to look at.   
  
  
  
It was a picture of an entire field of massacred bodies, and they seemed to be laid out in the kanji for…   
  
  
  
"Moon." He said.   
  
  
  
"Is that what that kanji is, Kurama-kun?" She asked, looking at the picture herself.   
  
  
  
"Yes. It's the kanji for moon." He said. "But why are they laid out like that?"   
  
  
  
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I found them in a room in Reikai."   
  
  
  
"The room you were in before I got you?" He asked.   
  
  
  
She nodded.   
  
  
  
"That's Koenma's office…" He said. "Why didn't he show these to us…?"   
  
  
  
Both were quiet, and Amaya blinked when she felt a familiar presence. She stepped out into the hall, looking at the door.   
  
  
  
The corridor was much, much cooler than the kitchen, and she furrowed her brow. She slowly reached out towards the door, and as she did, the air got colder.   
  
  
  
There was something on the other side…   
  
  
  
"BOO!"   
  
  
  
Amaya screamed when someone jumped up behind her. Her careful control over her powers was broken slightly, and her energy blew up several vases and pictures in the hall.   
  
  
  
Midori stared at her with widened eyes. "You…you just…"   
  
  
  
Amaya whirled back to face her, and glared. "Midori!"   
  
  
  
"What happened?" Kurama exclaimed, running out to join them in the hall.   
  
  
  
"Nothing!" Amaya replied quickly. If they knew that she had lost some control over her powers just now… Well, she didn't want to think about the consequences.   
  
  
  
Kurama looked at Midori, and she blinked.   
  
  
  
"Really, it was nothing, Kurama." She said reassuringly.   
  
  
  
"I just…I just remembered something!" Amaya said, laughing nervously. "I need to go out and buy some food. You know - some tofu, sugar, rice, the basics."   
  
  
  
She smiled, and Kurama gave her an odd look. "Okay…"   
  
  
  
"I'll be back a bit later, because I'll probably do some other shopping while I'm out." She said, walking past them and towards her room.   
  
  
  
Kurama and Midori stared after her, but neither said anything.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
An hour or two later, Naomi awoke. She groaned, and rolled over. She had a headache, and she knew that it couldn't be from drinking, considering she didn't have any alcohol.   
  
  
  
She opened her eyes, and came face to face with Chuu.   
  
  
  
Her eyes widened, and she rolled away from him, thoroughly confused. She sat u and looked back down at him, and he kept sleeping.   
  
  
  
She sighed when she realized that her powers must have gotten out of control again.   
  
  
  
Naomi had a certain power, which was entirely unique to her, and it was similar to empathy. She could feel strong emotions of other people, but only certain people. It was hard to explain, but she assumed that the feelings that she got from others were only present when they would somehow affect her.   
  
  
  
Like when Kuwabara had first gotten his bug, she had felt his pain because they were working together, and his sickness would affect her. And a while earlier, during the Ankoku Bujutsukai, she had felt Jin's pain when he had gotten punched in the stomach by Yusuke, because she later on had to heal him.   
  
  
  
She wasn't quite sure what she had then…   
  
  
  
But apparently, she had done something that she may regret. What kind of emotion had Chuu had the night before…? She couldn't quite remember, because when she was channeling others' emotions, her own mind sort of…blanked out.   
  
  
  
She crawled over to Touya, who was sleeping soundly across the room. She lightly shook his shoulder, whispering his name. His ice blue eyes opened slightly, and settled on her.   
  
  
  
"What is it, Naomi?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"Uh…what did I do last night?" She asked awkwardly. Touya was the only one that knew of her power, because he was her most trusted friend. Not even her own mother knew about it…   
  
  
  
He showed little emotion, as usual. "Chuu must have been having some strong feelings for you, because you two kissed. Was that because of your powers, or did you really kiss him?"   
  
  
  
She groaned, and rubbed her face with her hands. "No, no, no, no, no…I couldn't have kissed him!" She said. She looked over at the ice master.   
  
  
  
"He was pretty drunk last night. Do you think he'll remember that, Touya-kun?"   
  
  
  
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's been worse than that before, and some things he'll remember and some things he won't. It all depends."   
  
  
  
"Why didn't you…stop me or something?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"I couldn't. By the time I realized what was going to happen, you two were already kissing." He said. "Look, Naomi, don't worry about it. He'll understand if you explain it to him."   
  
  
  
She sighed, and he looked thoughtful.   
  
  
  
"That is, unless you actually do have feelings for him…"   
  
  
  
She blushed. "N-No!"   
  
  
  
He smirked. "Are you so sure about that?"   
  
  
  
She sighed, and sat next to him. She brought her knees to her chest, and looked down at the floor.   
  
  
  
"I mean…we're really good friends. Like me and Jin. I've…never really thought about him as anything other than that." She said.   
  
  
  
He smiled. "Maybe you should…because I know that he has feelings for you."   
  
  
  
She snorted. "Touya-kun, I've seen him lust after other girls before. It's probably just that."   
  
  
  
"Naomi, I personally think that his feelings are real. You should talk to him about it."   
  
  
  
Both of them looked over at Shishiwakamaru, who had apparently been awake during their conversation.   
  
  
  
Naomi sighed, and shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, I'm not the type of girl that's into all of that romantic bullshit."   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru smiled. "Maybe you should give it a try."   
  
  
  
She stood. "I'll…I'll think about it. But as you both know, I can't think on an empty stomach. I'm going to get some breakfast."   
  
  
  
They nodded, and she left the room. She had a lot to think about…   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Later on, when everyone had woken up, they gathered in the kitchen. They started discussing the bugs, and about what had happened while each group was out, because they hadn't had much of a chance to discuss it earlier.   
  
  
  
"We found a slaughtered village." Touya said.   
  
  
  
"Really? So did we." Midori said. She sipped some of her tea, and sighed. "There were so many dead…children…"   
  
  
  
Kurama remembered the picture that Amaya had shown him. "Oh! Amaya showed me a photo that she found in Koenma's office. It was of a slaughtered village, and the bodies were laid out in the kanji for moon."   
  
  
  
"Moon?" Naomi asked, suddenly curious. "What about the moon? Why would they be laid out like that?"   
  
  
  
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I was planning on talking to Koenma about it."   
  
  
  
"That's odd…" Midori mused. "Moon…the full moon is tonight. Maybe something is going to happen tonight." Dawn looked around. "Where did that silver-haired girl go?"   
  
  
  
"Who?" Naomi asked. "My mom?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah. Her."   
  
  
  
"Probably meditating." Naomi replied. "But that's a bit odd about-"   
  
  
  
"Actually, she went out shopping." Kurama interrupted. "She said she was going to buy tofu, sugar and rice."   
  
  
  
The half-tennyo gave him an odd look. "What? But we just went shopping the other day. We've got enough food to last us several months."   
  
  
  
Midori looked confused. "Why would Amaya-chan lie to us?"   
  
  
  
"She's hiding something." Kurama said. He was angry at the fact that his own mate would hide something from him.   
  
  
  
"Should we go out and look for her?" Suzuka asked.   
  
  
  
Naomi growled. "No."   
  
  
  
"Why not?" Kurama asked.   
  
  
  
"When my mom doesn't want to be found, then she doesn't. It's just her way. If she wanted us to follow her, it would be a different story, but apparently she want some alone time."   
  
  
  
The silver-haired girl sighed, and rubbed her temples. "So much shit has been flung lately, huh?"   
  
  
  
Chuu said nothing, but wondered if she was referring to their kiss…   
  
  
  
"You say that she can't be found…" Kurama started. She looked over at him. "But I know a way."   
  
  
  
"You do?"   
  
  
  
"Suzuka-san?"   
  
  
  
The blonde inventor blinked. "What?"   
  
  
  
"I want you to try to come up with something to round up these bugs." Kurama said. "Then, round them up and have our three fire-users torch them. I'll go look for Amaya, and I want Yusuke, Kuwabara, Chuu and Naomi to try to find out more about the sendings that we saw. Touya, Kano and Jin, I want you three to make sure the village is secure, then find out if there is anything special about the moon tonight."   
  
  
  
Everyone nodded, with the exception of Dawn. She snorted.   
  
  
  
"And who the hell died and left _you_ in charge?" She asked sarcastically.   
  
  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her, and they briefly flashed gold. "Don't cross me."   
  
  
  
She seemed slightly surprised by his eye color changing, but just glared right back. "I'll help just this once. But next time, I'll be giving you orders."   
  
  
  
"Fine. Whatever." He said, standing. "Now, let's get to work."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Well, I got my report card, and I only got a C. PHEW!! Still, I'll be staying after school for help (I really hate geometry, so it'll probably be hell). Anyways, this means fewer updates (still about two chapters a week, but they'll be spread out even more). Also, I'll be trying to give more attention to my other fics, so expect more updates for them.   
  
  
  
Also, about Naomi and Chuu: I'm glad that so many of you have supported this pairing! Originally, I liked the idea of what Kurama's reaction would be, then realized that they actually are a good pairing. But I was worried that you reviewers would yell at me because you don't like Chuu or something… My sister actually wanted Naomi to go with Shishi. o____0   
  
  
  
Thanks for all of you support, everyone!   
  
  
  
**crimson7319** : I'm making a point to update all of my stories equally, so yes. And I don't think they'll be informing her anytime soon, just because of the fact that they're all a bit busy right now…   
  
**miyako14** : No kidding. What's the point of knowing geometry? NOTHING! THERE IS NO POINT!!! Ahem, anyways, Amaya was *trying* (and it may not have been her best attempt, considering how drunk she was) to say porcupine. She thought that Kano's hair looked like a porcupine.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : Why didn't you correct me? I said that the bug would be explained in the next chapter, when I meant to say the photo…well, it was a really off day for me. Well, I'm WAAAAAAYYY too young to be drinking (still in high school), but I've had a champagne or two…and I never wish to repeat the experience. I did what Amaya did. 0____o   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Drunk people ARE weird. That chapter was supposed to be funny…   
  
**Story Weaver1** : You know, I was expecting a lot of people to yell at me for pairing them together, but I think they're perfect together! I wanted someone who would match her personality, and yet freak Kurama out at the same time. Chuu was perfect. ^___^   
  
**Cerebral Juxtapose** : Yeah, she did miss that little clue. The little girl will be explained later, and Amaya was trying to say porcupine. But she failed. LOL.   
  
**Katie E.** : Amaya did act like a bum, didn't she? LOL! And yes, Naomi is short (considering that she has some pretty tall parents). She's about 5' 3", which is a few inches taller than Hiei. It's almost like Toguro and Genkai, height-wise…well, maybe not THAT bad.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Thanks! I'll be sure to tell Lucky-chan!   
  
**fuzzythehampster** : Everyone is pitying Kurama…but I thought it was hilarious!! And you actually like that pairing? Because I honestly thought that people would yell at me about it.   
  
**Sun Priestess** : Yeah, I did kinda feel sorry for him…   
  
**KARTOONCRAZY** : Another compliment on Naomi and Chuu! I'm glad! I'll tell you too - I thought that people would yell at me about that.   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : I'm sorry that you got grounded and your computer crashed, but I'm glad that you can read the fic again! I was beginning to think that you had abandoned it…   
  
**Psychocatgal** : Yay! ANOTHER compliment on Naomi and Chuu! 


	11. Chapter 11

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 11   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed, and dipped her feet into the cool water. She was at her sanctuary, her second home. It was a nice, quite place about twenty miles or so from the Shinobi village. There was a pond, and pouring into that pond was a waterfall - a small one, but still a waterfall.   
  
  
  
Behind said waterfall was a cave, where Amaya sometimes went to meditate. There were enough supplies in there to last her a week, as well as a futon and some meditation candles - small trinkets that sometimes did the trick. She could hide out there for a while, should she need to. She had never done so before - that is, until now.   
  
  
  
The full moon was to be that night, and she wanted to be in a place that she would be incapable of harming anyone. She had set up wards around the clearing on the trees for that very purpose. She wanted to make sure that no one was near when her powers went out of control.   
  
  
  
There could be no casualties if there was no one around to hurt.   
  
  
  
Still, she had taken precautions. She had teleported all the way there, which cost her most of her energy. That meant that when her powers did peak, she would be too weak to do so much as make an aura. Her rei-ki was spent.   
  
  
  
But there was a downfall to that. Should a wandering demon attack, she would be defenseless. Another reason she put up the wards. They permitted only her through them, and thus there could be no attack from wandering demons.   
  
  
  
She sighed, and pulled out a rice ball from the bundle of food that she had brought along. She had rice balls, some candies and sweets, and some bread. Some simple things, but they were enough for now.   
  
  
  
She chewed her food thoughtfully. Lately, ever since she was in Reikai, her mind had been filled with so much information. And then there was the little girl whom she had seen there…   
  
  
  
Who was she, and why was she there? She looked a lot like Tsuki, but Tsuki was in heaven, with the other tennyos. And she knew quite well that Tsuki was not a little girl. So then who was the enigmatic figure that had led her to the pictures? Kurama had said that he didn't see anyone leave the room, other than herself…   
  
  
  
And what about those photos? Kurama had told her that the kanji was for moon, which may or may not have something to do with her…   
  
  
  
She snorted. Unfortunately, _everything_ seemed to involve her. Surely these bugs were linked to her as well…? Maybe they were after tennyos, or something strange and twisted like that. But that couldn't be it, because Jin and the others had gotten them as well…   
  
  
  
She fell back onto the lush grass, and watched the clouds float by, stained orange, red and pink by the setting sun. She didn't want them to be linked to her…sometimes, she wished that she had never met Youko, because then she never would have found out that she was a tennyo, and so on and so forth.   
  
  
  
She smiled slightly. But if she hadn't met Youko, she would be dead. And she would have never found out what love felt like… And she never would have had her daughter, whom she cared for more than anything in the whole world…   
  
  
  
No. She didn't regret meeting him. She just wished that she could talk to him, about her powers, and about everything else in her life that seemed to be going wrong at the moment…   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama sneezed, and sniffled. "Hm. Maybe someone is thinking about me…"   
  
  
  
He quickly shook his head to focus himself, and closed his eyes. He was currently a little ways away from the Shinobi village, and was trying to pick up where Amaya had gone. He could feel her energy somewhere, quite a bit further from where he was. But with his human senses, it was hard to tell which direction…   
  
  
  
He opened his eyes again. Maybe if he gave his youko side a chance to come out, he could find her with a bit more ease…   
  
  
  
It was worth a try.   
  
  
  
He let his own consciousness slip under the control of his darker half, and felt the familiar sensation of falling…   
  
  
  
Youko easily took over his human counterpart's mind, and was able to make the transformation. Normally, he would not have been able to do this without a little help from the fruit of the previous life drink that Suzuka had made, but he was stronger now. And because he was stronger, he could take over Minamino Shuichi with little effort…   
  
  
  
And now that he was in his demon form, he further transformed into his fox form, so that his senses would be at their peak. Even now, he could lightly catch Amaya's scent on the breeze, despite the fact that she was at least a good twenty miles away.   
  
  
  
He started running towards the place that her energy and scent were coming from. He was quite angry with her at the moment, for not telling him whatever was wrong with her.   
  
  
  
Why wouldn't she? She was his mate, and he hers. So why would she keep a secret? Mates weren't supposed to keep secrets from one another…   
  
  
  
He growled, and pushed himself to move even faster. This was just ridiculous!   
  
  
  
They were definitely going to have a little 'chat' when he found her…   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Amaya stopped splashing her feet in the water when she felt the chill crawl up her spine. There were two presences coming near to her sanctuary - one more powerful than the other. She took her feet out of the water, and slowly stood. This wasn't good…her barriers could only keep out demons that were weaker than she. But if they were stronger…   
  
  
  
She needed to get into the cave. Now.   
  
  
  
She grabbed her bundle of food, and made a move to jump into the water so she could swim to the other side, but stopped when she heard a noise. It sounded like some kind of animal crying out in pain…   
  
  
  
She bit her lip, but she was too soft to leave an animal out there in pain. She quickly ran over to the south end of her wards, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what had been the source of the noise…   
  
  
  
A silvery-white fox, with many tails, stood and shook itself. The blood on it's forehead was trickling down, staining the beautiful fur. It had golden eyes, and seemed to be glaring at her, in a way.   
  
  
  
"Kurama…?" She said slowly. She knew that it was him, and she knew that he didn't look too pleased at being held back by her barriers. She bit her lip, and tried to decide what to do.   
  
  
  
She knew that if she brought him in, she'd have to explain about her out of control powers - a subject that she suddenly didn't want to discuss with him. And if she brought him in, he'd have that chance of getting injured by said powers…   
  
  
  
But on the other hand, if she _didn't_ let him in, then he wouldn't get treated for his wound, and he would be very, **very** mad at her…   
  
  
  
It was easy to decide, especially when she felt the more powerful force coming closer and closer.   
  
  
  
She quickly ran out of her wards, and scooped him up into her arms. She then picked her bundle back up, and walked quickly back to the pond.   
  
  
  
"Baka, why did you come here?" She said in a hoarse whisper, in case the other demon could hear her. "It's dangerous."   
  
  
  
She looked back over her shoulder, and sensed that the demon was drawing nearer by the second. Youko gave her a look that she couldn't read, but she ignored him.   
  
  
  
"Look, just take this, and hold your breath." She said quickly, holding up the bundle. He reluctantly took it into his mouth, and she started wading through the water. When she reached the base of the waterfall, she took a deep breath, indicating for the kitsune to do the same.   
  
  
  
She dunked her head under the water, and swam under the waterfall, towards the cave in the back. She resurfaced, and put the gingitsune up on the stone. He promptly dropped the bundle, and shook to rid himself of the water. Amaya pulled herself out, and stood.   
  
  
  
She looked back out in the direction that the demon had been in, though she couldn't see it through the stone wall.   
  
  
  
She sighed in relief when she felt its presence moving away from them. She leaned over the water slightly, and started wringing out her hair.   
  
  
  
The kitsune seemed to still be glaring at her from his corner of the room, near the edge of the water. She sighed, and looked over at him.   
  
  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't think that you would mind getting a little wet, but I guess I was wrong." She said. She started wringing out her baggy black pants. She also had on a matching black tank top. "I really wish that I'd kept a spare yukata here." She grumbled.   
  
  
  
She turned back to Kurama and he trotted over to the futon. She walked over to the futon as well, and sat down beside it. She leaned against the wall, and sighed.   
  
  
  
She could feel his golden gaze burning into her while she sat there. It made her slightly uncomfortable, and she looked over at him.   
  
  
  
"Kurama…come here. I want to heal your cut." She said.   
  
  
  
He just sat there, not moving an inch. He was _still_ glaring at her, and she was getting sick and tired of it.   
  
  
  
She reached over and tried to grab him, but her moved out of her reach. She sighed, and rolled over onto her stomach.   
  
  
  
"Kurama, please. I just want to make sure that that doesn't get infected."   
  
  
  
She tried to grab him again, and again, he moved out of her reach. She growled, getting thoroughly fed up with whatever game - or maybe it wasn't even a game - he was playing, and promptly grabbed one of his tails.   
  
  
  
He tensed up, and she pulled him into her lap. She smiled at him.   
  
  
  
"There. Now I can heal you."   
  
  
  
He glared at her once more, and she gently touched his forehead. Her hand glowed with silver light, and his wound closed up. He shook his head, and started to climb off of her lap. She caught him though, and hugged him to herself.   
  
  
  
"Are you mad at me?" She asked quietly. "Please…please, I don't want you to be mad at me…"   
  
  
  
He squirmed, and she let go of him. He trotted away a bit, and started to glow. He changed into his youko form, and looked back over at her.   
  
  
  
"Damn straight I'm mad at you!" He growled. "Running away and not even telling anyone what was wrong? What the hell is up with that?!"   
  
  
  
"I'm…I'm sorry…" She said quietly. She sat back against the wall, fighting back tears. She really, really didn't want him to be mad at her. "But believe me when I tell you that it was for the safety of the village."   
  
  
  
"Still! Why didn't you tell me anything?!" He snapped.   
  
  
  
"Because…because I couldn't." She said. Angry tears were welling up in her eyes. _How can he be so insensitive?!_   
  
  
  
"Like hell, Amaya!" He shouted. "When I chose you to be my mate, I expected a bit more trust! But no, you can't tell me _anything_! Why not?!"   
  
  
  
She jumped to her feet, so that she would look down at him. "Because if I told you, I'd get turned over to Reikai! They'd lock me up, and I'd never be able to see my daughter again!"   
  
  
  
He jumped to his feet as well. "And what the hell makes you think that I'd _ever_ turn you in to the Reikai officials?!"   
  
  
  
"I…I mean, I-"   
  
  
  
"Exactly!" He exclaimed. "I _wouldn't_."   
  
  
  
"You don't have to be so mean about it!" She growled. "Just because I have a life, and I don't want to lose it, doesn't mean that you have to be nasty!"   
  
  
  
"Now just wait a minute! I-"   
  
  
  
"Oh, wait. I forgot!" Amaya said sarcastically, pretending to look thoughtful. "You don't _have_ a life anymore. That's because you wouldn't listen to me when I told you that I had a bad feeling about you and Kuronue leaving like that! But no! Nobody listens to the CLAIRVOYANT PERSON!"   
  
  
  
"Look, I made a stupid mistake! So stop hacking on me about it!" He growled.   
  
  
  
"Stupid? _Stupid_? Kurama, that was BEYOND stupid." She said.   
  
  
  
He growled again, and got very close to her face. "Listen, I'm apologizing here. I NEVER apologize, but I feel that you deserve it. So just accept it, okay? Then maybe we can stop fighting over pointless things."   
  
  
  
"Pointless?! You left me by myself to raise your child, caused me seventeen years worth of hell, and now you want to come back and apologize?! Apologies are a little late!" She said.   
  
  
  
For once, Youko didn't have a retort. There was nothing that could really top that…   
  
  
  
Amaya sighed, and walked past him towards a small chest near the water. She opened it, and fished out some food. She then sat down against the wall, and pulled her knees to her chest.   
  
  
  
The kitsune slowly turned around and looked at her, surprise written clearly on his face.   
  
  
  
There was a deathly silence, in which both of them thought over what had been said. Youko was just beyond words. Nobody had ever _dared_ to talk to him like that, and she just had. AND she got the last word.   
  
  
  
Amaya kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Great! Now she'd gone and done it! She's been worried about him being mad at her, and now he had to be pissed beyond belief!   
  
  
  
"Hell…?" He said quietly. "It was hell?"   
  
  
  
She sighed. "Yes. It was."   
  
  
  
He walked over and flopped down beside her. "Amaya…"   
  
  
  
"It's just…" She stopped, and wiped away a tear. "I mean, you were everything to me. I had to stay with Shishiwakamaru, and he wasn't anything like you. He didn't really care…and I missed you so much. And then, I found out that I was pregnant, and I was miserable. I knew that my baby wouldn't have a father, and I'd rather die than let Shishiwakamaru take that role. I would've done anything to have you back then…"   
  
  
  
"You're using an awful lot of past tense there. Does that mean that you don't feel the same anymore?" He asked. "Because I still care about you, no matter what I say." He reached out and brushed away the tear that had started to fall down her cheek.   
  
  
  
"Kurama, it's not that I don't love you, because I do." She said, closing her eyes. "It's just-"   
  
  
  
She stopped suddenly. "Kurama…did you hear that?"   
  
  
  
"Hear what?"   
  
  
  
"Someone…calling me."   
  
  
  
_Someone that happens to sound like that little girl…_ She added mentally. She stood, and looked around. The presence was there, somewhere…   
  
  
  
"I didn't hear anything." Youko said. He noticed that the tennyo seemed to have a distant look on her face.   
  
  
  
Amaya slowly looked back towards the water. "I'm…going to go check it out."   
  
  
  
She jumped into the water, and started swimming back towards the other side.   
  
  
  
"Amaya! Wait!" He exclaimed, jumping in after her. _**Now** what?_   
  
  
  
When he resurfaced, he was surprised at who else was there.   
  
  
  
His eyes widened.   
  
  
  
"It's her…"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Yes, this chapter was kind of boring, and I apologize. But things should pick up in the next chapter, so hang tight.   
  
  
  
Did anybody catch the subtle humor? Amaya says that her barriers keep out those weaker than her, and Youko couldn't get in. ^____^   
  
  
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : How could I do what? But thanks for the compliment!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : T____T I'm sad now.   
  
**miyako14** : Yes! ^____^ I'm so mean!   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Thanks, Nisha-chan! I'm glad that you support that pairing.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Now you know where she went! And I don't know how anyone could NOT like Chuu, because he's really one of my favorite characters!!   
  
**FieryKitsune** : We'll find out about the little sneak more in the next chapter, if all goes to plan. I probably shouldn't promise things, because sometimes when I write, things don't go as I wanted them to.   
  
**Katie E.** : Ooooohhh. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Naomi is really a guy or something… X___X That would be so wrong, yet so funny!   
  
**crimson7319** : Poor Kuwa-chan… XD   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : Lucky-chan, criticism is bad, and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is…slightly better. But she's based off of you, so you have the right to tell me when she's out of character. I thought about that, but decided that Dawn just didn't feel like arguing at the time…though I may have her and Hiei get into a fight. ^__^   
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : Thanks! I'm really glad about most everyone supporting that pairing, and I'm glad you like it too!   
  
  
  
Review!! 


	12. Chapter 12

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 12   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naomi sighed. She hated bookwork. It was so…   
  
  
  
"Boring…" Chuu sighed, throwing his book to the side.   
  
  
  
The four of them were in the Reikai library, trying to find any information on the sendings. Yusuke and Kuwabara had gone to the other side of the immense room, trying to find some information on the moon. So Chuu and Naomi had grabbed a pile of books, sat down at a table (and propped their feet up in unison - neither felt comfortable sitting regularly), and started going through them. Neither had found anything of interest though…   
  
  
  
Naomi pulled out her necklace, and started playing with it. It had been her mother's, but she had given it to her when she was five. It was a silver crescent moon on a thin chain of silver, and was always shiny, no matter what.   
  
  
  
That's why she liked it… And it was also the only piece of jewelry that she would ever wear…   
  
  
  
"Yeah, it is pretty boring, Chuu-kun." She said, holding the necklace up in the light.   
  
  
  
The Australian warrior sighed and let his forehead hit the table. "Why'd we have to get the bookwork? I'd rather be fighting something…"   
  
  
  
The necklace spun slightly, catching the light from above.   
  
  
  
"I wonder where my mom got this thing…" Naomi wondered aloud.   
  
  
  
"It is the key to your mother's future."   
  
  
  
Naomi looked at Chuu, confusion written on her pretty face. "What? Why did you say that, Chuu?"   
  
  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Why did I say that I'd rather fight?"   
  
  
  
"No, after that."   
  
  
  
"I didn't say anything." He said slowly.   
  
  
  
Naomi was confused again. "Then who did?"   
  
  
  
_I did._   
  
  
  
Naomi looked down at her side, and saw a little girl standing there, looking up at her. She was a petite child, with long black hair that fell to her ankles, and sea-green eyes. She wore a white dress, and was barefoot.   
  
  
  
"And who are you?" Naomi asked.   
  
  
  
"What are you talking about?" Chuu asked. "You know who I am."   
  
  
  
"Shut up, Chuu. Not now." She hissed. He blinked, and she looked back to the girl.   
  
  
  
"Who are you?"   
  
  
  
_That necklace…it's your mother's destiny and your own. When the time comes, you may have to choose…_   
  
  
  
"Choose what?"   
  
  
  
_That is to be decided later. For now, you must take care of that necklace, and never let it fall into her hands._   
  
  
  
"Who?" Naomi asked, turning to face her.   
  
  
  
_The evil one…_   
  
  
  
"Hey, Naomi, Chuu! Come here! We may have found something!" Yusuke called.   
  
  
  
Naomi glanced up at him, and looked down to where the girl was - or at least, had been. She was gone now.   
  
  
  
She stood slowly, and started walking towards the tantei. "What is it?"   
  
  
  
"I think you'll be pretty interested." He said, smirking.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Dawn yawned, and tried to balance the pencil on her nose, only to have it fall into her lap again. She sighed, and looked over at Suzuka, who was busy with something at his desk.   
  
  
  
"How's it comin', blondie?"   
  
  
  
He growled. "For the last time, I'm not blondie!"   
  
  
  
She shrugged. "You look like a blonde to me."   
  
  
  
"Stop it. You're being annoying." Hiei said. He was standing on the other side of the room, his arms folded over his chest.   
  
  
  
Midori was upstairs, doing something - nobody was quite sure what the hyperactive phoenix was doing. She had found an entire bag of sugar, and had downed it all at once. 'It's just like having hundreds of pixie stix!' She'd exclaimed, before giggling like mad. But then again, that was just the way that she was.   
  
  
  
Suzuka went back to whatever he was doing. "Well, I'm almost done. These bugs seem to have an attraction to a certain kind of person - they are drawn to humans the most, because they can get more moisture quickly. We'll need a human to volunteer to let the bugs chase him - or her - into a large containment field, where you three pyros can roast their asses."   
  
  
  
A grin slowly crawled onto Dawn's face. "And I know just the person dumb enough to do it."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"Nuh-uh, no way I'm gonna let some of those bugs chase me all the way back here!" Kano exclaimed, waving his hands to emphasis his point.   
  
  
  
"Nonsense, Kano-kun!" Dawn said, laughing lightly. "You'll be perfectly safe - that is, unless the catch you. But you're fast, so I trust that you'll make it."   
  
  
  
"Kuro-chan, I'll be in the containment field when you get there! I'll make sure that the bugs can't get you!" Midori said, smiling.   
  
  
  
"No! And that's final!" He said, crossing his arms.   
  
  
  
Midori pouted. "Kuro-chan, please?"   
  
  
  
"No!"   
  
  
  
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"   
  
  
  
"No!"   
  
  
  
"Pretty please with sugar, some raspberries, cherries, and chocolate on top?"   
  
  
  
"NO!"   
  
  
  
Dawn cracked her knuckles. "Okay. Would you change your mind if I told you that if you said 'no' one more time, I'd rip your balls off with my bare hands?"   
  
  
  
Kano paled, and turned away from her slightly. "You w-wouldn't."   
  
  
  
His twin smiled sweetly. "Wouldn't I, Kano-chan?"   
  
  
  
He sighed. "Fine. I'll do it." He glared at her. "But only for the sake of saving myself from my evil sister's wrath."   
  
  
  
Midori grinned. "I should use that threat sometime - it seems to work."   
  
  
  
Dawn grinned as well. "Always does."   
  
  
  
"Alright. If you guys are done playing around, I think we need to get to work." Suzuka said.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Youko slammed against a tree, and fell back to the ground, coughing up some blood. One more attack like that, and he'd revert to his human form - and that would be **bad**. Very bad.   
  
  
  
When he had resurfaced, Tsuki and Amaya had been standing there. The raven-haired tennyo had said that she needed Amaya to come with her, but his mate had refused. And after that, Tsuki had changed. Something was strange about her…she was aggressive.   
  
  
  
She had sent Amaya flying, and had pinned her to a tree with her rei-ki, and had then moved on to him.   
  
  
  
He had been flung into several trees, and he hadn't even managed to land a hit on his mate's twin.   
  
  
  
"Are you ready to give up, kokitsune?" Tsuki asked lazily, a hand on her hip.   
  
  
  
She wasn't in her normal attire either. As soon as Amaya had refused, her kimono had changed to something entirely different - a tight shirt cut low to reveal quite the bust, and a dress with a slit all the way up on both sides. Both were all black in color. She also had matching gloves that came to her elbows, and were covered in straps. Her hair remained the same, but her eyes had changed to a molten gold.   
  
  
  
Youko spit out some blood. "What the hell are you? You aren't the Tsuki that I met seventeen years ago."   
  
  
  
She flipped some of her hair over her shoulder. "That's none of your business."   
  
  
  
Amaya tried to break the bonds that held her. "Tsuki, stop hurting him!!"   
  
  
  
The tennyo turned back towards her twin, her face emotionless. "I can't. He's in my way. And as long as he is, then he'll have to be killed."   
  
  
  
Amaya growled, and her rei-ki flared up. It lashed out at her twin, but wasn't strong enough to do more than make a small cut across Tsuki's left cheek.   
  
  
  
She lightly touched her cheek, then smirked. "So, you do still have some power, little tennyo."   
  
  
  
Youko dived at Tsuki, his rosewhip drawn. He slashed at her, but she dodged. His eyes widened.   
  
  
  
_Damn, she's fast! But where did she g-_   
  
  
  
A hard punch drove into his stomach, and that was it. He reverted into his human form.   
  
  
  
Tsuki smirked. "Kokitsune, you thought that you could hit me?"   
  
  
  
Kurama struggled, because the wind had been knocked out of him from that last blow.   
  
  
  
The tennyo sauntered over to him, and took his jaw in her hand. "You know, I can see why Amaya likes you. You're rather cute."   
  
  
  
He spat in her face, and she punched him, knocking him out.   
  
  
  
"Kurama-kun!" Amaya exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"Don't worry. You'll be much worse off then your 'Kurama-kun'." Tsuki said, rising slowly. She looked back at her twin. "Because you're going to help me with my little problem."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"Who is she?" Naomi asked, trailing her hand over the page in the book.   
  
  
  
"That's some tennyo, and I thought she looked a lot like your mom." Yusuke said.   
  
  
  
"Yusuke's righ'." Chuu said, leaning over Naomi's shoulder to see. "It _does_ look a lot like Amaya."   
  
  
  
"Where did you guys find this?" She asked, still staring at the picture.   
  
  
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke exchanged glances.   
  
  
  
"Uh…well, let's say we weren't looking where we were supposed to." Yusuke said, laughing nervously.   
  
  
  
"Like where?" Naomi asked, glancing up at him briefly.   
  
  
  
"The Reikai vaults." Kuwabara said. "It's where they keep everyone's files and stuff. And we were trying to find our own files, and this book fell out of nowhere."   
  
  
  
"It's a book on every tennyo ever born. It lists their family, and their powers, and whether or not they died - everything about them." Yusuke said.   
  
  
  
"Why? Why would someone keep a book like this?" Naomi asked.   
  
  
  
"Because tennyos are rare and wanted, like koorime are."   
  
  
  
The four of them turned around to see Yukina standing there.   
  
  
  
"Yukina-san!" Kuwabara exclaimed, jumping to his feet.   
  
  
  
She smiled kindly at him. "Kazuma-san, it's good to see you again."   
  
  
  
He grabbed her hands. "It's been too long, baby."   
  
  
  
She just smiled, having no clue why Kuwabara had just called her 'baby' again. She was always confused when he talked to her like that.   
  
  
  
Naomi blinked. "Hey, you look a lot like-"   
  
  
  
Yusuke clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling Hiei's name.   
  
  
  
She growled, and bit him. He quickly let go, and glared right back.   
  
  
  
"You didn't have to bite me." He said.   
  
  
  
She ignored him, and turned back to the petite koorime. "Still, why would they keep a record of all the tennyos?"   
  
  
  
Yukina smiled. "Let's go sit and talk about it. There's a lot to tell you."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's notes** : I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I want to keep it suspenseful (and drawn out. This is the last fic of this series! I want to make it last!).   
  
  
  
I'd like to extend this offer once more - does anyone want to be added to the mailing list? That means you'll be sent an e-mail every time I update. And if you ask, I'll send you an e-mail with any update for any story.   
  
  
  
Also, I wrote a story called _The New Guys! Or New Girls_, which will be quite funny. It's mainly a comedy, though I may add some romance. It's just to see if people will like it, so if you read it and review, I may be extra nice and post the next chapter of this story sooner... *hint hint wink wink*   
  
  
  
Also, I'm planning on writing a Naruto fic. It's AU, Sasuke x Sakura, Hinata x Naruto, and maybe Kakashi x Kurenai. It should be really good - I'd like to try breaking away from Yu Yu Hakusho, and see how that does.   
  
  
  
**miyako14** : No, that's not fair! Choose one, and stick with it! I know, I'm mean. ^_____^   
  
**Kagome0102** : Nope, you guessed right. It's Tsuki.   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : I read and I reviewed, and I lied! I said there would be some Dawn / Hiei fluff in this chapter, but it didn't fit in anywhere. Sorry!!   
**Suzaku no miko** : Now you know! And yes, we all want to hold Youko, because he is a damn sexy beast. ^____^   
  
**Cricket-chan** : Yay! A new reviewer! _I_ really like _that_! ^___________^ By the way, Cricket-chan is a really cute name.   
  
**Katie E.** : It's kinda sad that he's waaaaaaay older than her, and he fights, yet he's still the weaker one. But then again, despite the fact that she's more powerful, her powers are healing based.   
  
**Dew-Drop Viper** : No, but they'll find out who the little girl is in the next chapter, most likely.   
  
**Mah** : I'm not sure. I'm still debating that.   
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : Yeah, he got really mad!   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Okay, here's the update.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Yeah, but Midori didn't have a kid and then get abandoned by the idiot that didn't listen to the clairoyant girl. It's a bit different for them - and besides, we all know that Youko is VERY arrogant. But there should be some fluff a bit later.   
  
  
  
Review!! 


	13. Chapter 13

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 13   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"I guess I should start with the relation between koorime and tennyos." Yukina said, taking a sip from her tea. "We all descended from the same group of people. Well, all from the same goddess, anyways."   
  
  
  
"Goddess?" Naomi echoed.   
  
  
  
"Yes. Her name was Koori, and she was a little known goddess that lived on the moon. She was extremely powerful - however, she lived in seclusion, so no one really knew about her. She wanted children, but she couldn't find a husband. So, she created her own children. They were all likenesses of her - silver hair, red eyes, and powers of ice. There were two - Rei and Leiko.   
  
  
  
"They lived with their mother for several centuries, each of them learning different ways to use the immense energy inherited from her. Leiko was the first tennyo - she studied in healing, and was far more beautiful than her sister. Rei was the first koorime - she had ice powers, like her mother, and was able to freeze anything at will.   
  
  
  
"Eventually, Rei left to settle on the Island of Koorime, where she had many children - but like her mother, she could not find a husband. That is why koorime are an all-female race, and we don't need any males to have children. Leiko had her children as well, by a demon. Her children also didn't need a father to be born, though she had had them with a male. Tennyos are also an all-female race. So, we all came from two sisters." Yukina explained.   
  
  
  
When she was done, she smiled. "Any questions?"   
  
  
  
"Wow…so you and I are very distantly related?" Naomi asked.   
  
  
  
"Yes. I guess we are." The koorime said, smiling innocently.   
  
  
  
"Okay. So now why is there a book that has information on all the tennyos?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
"Because tennyos and koorime are rare, they need to be watched. Reikai made two books - one for each race - that have records of every one of us that is born. It's basically our records." The koorime said. She sipped more of her tea, and let her crimson eyes drift over to the book on tennyos, which lay open on the table. "You should be in there too, Naomi-san."   
  
  
  
Naomi took the book, and started flipping through the pages. She stopped when she saw the picture of the woman that looked like her mother.   
  
  
  
"She looks like my mom." She said.   
  
  
  
"Really?" Yusuke asked.   
  
  
  
"Yeah. It says, 'Tsuki. Born of Kiku and a human fisherman. Powers of clairvoyance, dream speech, healing [tremendous - can bring back the dead]. Possesses rei-ki in abundance. Part of a set of twins, Tsuki was…killed at the age of five.'…" Naomi read. "Part of a set of twins?"   
  
  
  
"Maybe she and Amaya are related." Yusuke suggested.   
  
  
  
Naomi flipped the page, and Amaya's picture was indeed there. " 'Amaya. Born of Kiku and a human fisherman. Powers of clairvoyance, mental dominance, healing [tremendous - can bring back the dead]. Possesses rei-ki in abundance. Part of a set of twins. Amaya has one child, Naomi, by…' "   
  
  
  
She drifted off, and her eyes widened.   
  
  
  
"What? Sheila, you okay?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
"Kami-sama…" She whispered. "He's my…father?"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"Run, Forrest, run!" Dawn called.   
  
  
  
Kano pumped his legs harder. "What the hell do you _think_ I'm doing, Dawn?!"   
  
  
  
The reincarnated bat ran up the hill as fast as he could, trying not to look back at the cloud of bugs chasing after him.   
  
  
  
_Please don't catch me, please don't catch me, please don't catch me!_ He chanted over and over in his mind.   
  
  
  
He saw the containment field in front of him, and quickly ran into it. He jumped behind Midori, who was in her phoenix form, and watched as she, Hiei, and Dawn all let loose their flames at once.   
  
  
  
The bugs made a horrible noise, which sounded like a dieing human, and then fell to the ground, burnt and twitching, but clearly dead.   
  
  
  
Kano sighed in relief, and grinned at Midori.   
  
  
  
She turned back into her human form, and sighed. "Well, that's the last of them, I think."   
  
  
  
"I hope so. I can't run up that hill another time." Kano said, flopping down onto the ground.   
  
  
  
Hiei smirked. "Weak as always, bird."   
  
  
  
"I'm a **bat**, Hiei. Get it through your head." He growled.   
  
  
  
"Whatever."   
  
  
  
Dawn laughed. "You two fight like a married couple!"   
  
  
  
Hiei and Kano glared at her, though Midori was laughing.   
  
  
  
"Oh well! Guess Kuro-chan and I can't see each other anymore seeing as how he's married and all!" She said.   
  
  
  
"I'm **_not_** married, Midori!" He whined.   
  
  
  
Hiei growled at Dawn, and she just smiled.   
  
  
  
"Look, now that we're done here, why don't we join the others at the Reikai library?" Midori suggested.   
  
  
  
Kano pouted. "I don't wanna go. You guys tease me too much."   
  
  
  
She smiled and ruffled his hair. "Kuro-chan, it's all in fun."   
  
  
  
Dawn suddenly tensed, and Hiei looked over at her.   
  
  
  
"What is it?"   
  
  
  
She shivered, and rubbed her arms. "What power…"   
  
  
  
Hiei felt it too. An extremely strong energy, coming from the west. Something that seemed to go beyond S-Class…   
  
  
  
"What do you think that was?" Midori asked.   
  
  
  
"I don't know." Kano replied. "But we should go check it out."   
  
  
  
"No!" Hiei said. The others looked over at him. "We'll go to Reikai, see the others, and try to find out what that was from there."   
  
  
  
The others nodded.   
  
  
  
"Right!"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama slowly opened his eyes. His head was throbbing…   
  
  
  
And where was he…?   
  
  
  
It was a large room that almost looked like a dungeon cell. It was dark and dank, and smelled strongly of blood… He didn't have any wounds though…   
  
  
  
He stood, and tried to step forwards, but his wrists were chained to the wall. He gave them a tug, and cursed.   
  
  
  
"Kuso!"   
  
  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."   
  
  
  
He looked over towards the door, and saw Tsuki standing there. She smirked.   
  
  
  
"Such language, kokitsune."   
  
  
  
He growled. "Where is Amaya?"   
  
  
  
"She's somewhere…" Tsuki said. "I've done my job, and we'll just have to wait for midnight. Then the fun will _really_ begin."   
  
  
  
"What did you do to her!?" He exclaimed. "And tell me where the hell she is!"   
  
  
  
She frowned. "Honestly, Kurama, you'd think you'd be able to sense her. But then again, in my castle, things do get distorted quite often."   
  
  
  
"Your castle?" He repeated. "Are you even really Tsuki?"   
  
  
  
She smirked. "You catch on quick, fox."   
  
  
  
"Then where is the real Tsuki? What happened to her?"   
  
  
  
"Well, I decided a while ago that I wanted to take over the three worlds, and to do that, I needed Amaya." She said.   
  
  
  
"Why Amaya?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"Because, she has enough power to destroy all three of the worlds. And also because she is the heiress to a certain necklace, which is very powerful. However, I couldn't get her because _you_ were always around, so I decided to take over Tsuki instead."   
  
  
  
"Take over?"   
  
  
  
"I basically forced her soul out of her body, and took over her that way." Tsuki stopped, and looked back out the door. She smirked. "Oh. Looks like your precious Amaya is finally succumbing."   
  
  
  
"Succumbing to what?" He asked. He really, _really_ hoped that she was okay…   
  
  
  
"Well, she didn't have the necklace on her, which meant she gave it to someone else. So, I'm going to make her help me find it." The raven-haired woman said. She looked back at Kurama. "Well, I must go complete the process. Tata for now, kokitsune."   
  
  
  
She turned on her heel and left. Kurama listened to her high heels clacking down the hall, and he sighed.   
  
  
  
_Kami-sama…she's in danger, and there's nothing I can do. Chikusho [damn*]!!_   
  
  
  
He blinked when a cold breeze blew gently across his face, despite the fact that he was inside. He looked up slightly, and saw a small child standing there. She looked exactly as Amaya had described her…a miniature Tsuki…   
  
  
  
She had a saddened look on her face, and she gently ran her icy cold fingers down Kurama's cheek.   
  
  
  
"Tsuki…?" He questioned.   
  
  
  
She nodded.   
  
  
  
_Please, help her…_   
  
  
  
"I can't. I'm stuck. Chained to the wall." He said, tugging on his restraints to prove his point.   
  
  
  
_Make sure that she doesn't come here. The necklace must stay away. I can't tell her though, because she is no longer open to me. She is distraught._   
  
  
  
"Who?"   
  
  
  
_Naomi._   
  
  
  
"I can't tell her. But why is she distraught?"   
  
  
  
_She knows._   
  
  
  
"Knows what?" He asked. This girl seemed to like speaking in riddles.   
  
  
  
_Tell the fire youkai. He'll tell her._   
  
  
  
She turned around, and started walking towards the door.   
  
  
  
"Wait, Tsuki-san!" He called.   
  
  
  
She stopped walking, though she didn't turn around.   
  
  
  
"Is Amaya…going to be okay?"   
  
  
  
She looked back at him slightly. _I cannot lie to you. I am not sure…there is a strong chance that the process will kill her._   
  
  
  
She waved her hand as though slicing through the air, and Kurama fell forward onto the ground, his chains now broken.   
  
  
  
_Make sure that doesn't happen._   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
They all met up in the Reikai library, but Chuu and Naomi were nowhere to be seen. Hiei was a bit surprised at this, but Yusuke answered his question before he could even ask it.   
  
  
  
"Kurama's a dad! That sneaky little bastard never told us, but he and Amaya are parents!"   
  
  
  
"What?" Dawn asked, raising an eyebrow and putting a hand on her hip. "That bookworm couldn't get a girlfriend if he tried, I bet."   
  
  
  
"No, really!" He showed them a book, and it had a picture of Amaya in it. At the bottom, it said, 'Amaya has one child, Naomi, by Youko Kurama [currently in the body of Minamino Shuichi].'   
  
  
  
"Damn…well, he had his kid when he _wasn't_ a dorky bookworm, so that explains a lot." Dawn commented.   
  
  
  
"So where are Chuu and Naomi?" Kano asked.   
  
  
  
"Well, Naomi freaked out, and went storming off, because she said she was going to find Kurama and, I quote, 'Beat the shit out of him, then yell at him, then beat the shit out of him some more'." Yusuke said.   
  
  
  
"As violent as her father." Kano said, shaking his head.   
  
  
  
Midori sighed. "Amaya really didn't want Naomi-chan to find out like that. She wanted to tell her herself."   
  
  
  
Yukina came running into the room, stopping and panting out, "Minna-san, Shiori-san is awake!"   
  
  
  
"Damn!" Yusuke cursed. "Of all the times for her to wake up, it had to be now!"   
  
  
  
Hiei stood. "I have a bad feeling about those two. I'm going to go try to find them. Detective, you take care of the kitsune's mother."   
  
  
  
He started to turn away, but Yukina called after him.   
  
  
  
"Hiei-san, wait!"   
  
  
  
He glanced back at her. "What?"   
  
  
  
"Ano…I'll take care of Kurama-san's mother. You all should go and take care of Amaya-san and Kurama-san."   
  
  
  
"Are you sure?" He asked.   
  
  
  
She nodded, and smiled. "I can handle it. But should I tell her about Kurama-san?"   
  
  
  
Yusuke rubbed the back of his head. "I…yes. I guess you'll have to, Yukina. Tell her everything. Just…don't let her know about him being in danger right now."   
  
  
  
She nodded, then gave a bow. "Hai!"   
  
  
  
She turned and left, and Hiei sighed. His sister really was compassionate when it came to things like this…   
  
  
  
_Hi…help…astle…Tsuki…Amaya…girl._   
  
  
  
The telepathic message came garbled and distorted.   
  
  
  
_Kitsune? Where are you?_ He replied.   
  
  
  
_astle…help…ease…Amaya…trouble…_   
  
  
  
_Damn it, I can't understand you! Speak slowly and clearly, and maybe that will help._ He growled.   
  
  
  
_Amaya…in danger…quick…castle with Tsuki…not really…evil…something about…necklace…Naomi….away._   
  
  
  
That was good enough for him.   
  
  
  
"Kurama is in danger. Amaya's there with him." He turned around, and looked at Kuwabara. "You. Find Naomi, and make sure she doesn't follow us."   
  
  
  
"What? Why me?!" He exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"Because. We'll need our strongest fighters to come, not our weakest." He said.   
  
  
  
"Hey, shrimp! I'm **not** weak!" He called after them as they dashed away.   
  
  
  
_Not only that,_ Hiei thought as they started towards the place where Kurama's message had come from, _but I actually have a bad feeling about this. Yukina will need one of us to stay alive…_   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
* - Chikusho is so strong, it can also be translated as 'Fuck!' Kurama was quite angry to be using something as strong as that.   
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Oooooh. Cryptic. And now Kurama has seen Tsuki (the little girl one). And what's this about Amaya's necklace? And will Kuwa-chan actually be able to hold Naomi back if she finds out? Will I ever shut up with these annoying questions?   
  
  
**_Important! I just posted Naomi's picture on the website! Go check it out! I think it came out rather well. ^____^_**   
  
  
  
Also, just to tease you all, the rest of the story is down on paper already. I've got everything planned out - but the thing is, you'll need to pay attention to every little detail from the last chapter on out. Almost everything will play a part in the end.   
  
**Katie E.** : Awww! I like the little Tsuki! She's so freaky she's cool! And compared to some of my other chapters, it is short.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : *grins* Queen of Suspense? Cool! I'm proud to have earned that title from one of my reviewers. And if you think that was suspenseful, wait until a little later. Then you'll be sobbing at the end for more. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Okay! You're on the list, Nisha-chan! My mailing list - not my hit list. ^___^   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : I think she just did. :3 I really like that face! It's cute! :3   
  
**miyako14** : Huh...we must be related then, because my mom calls me the 'Spawn of Satan'. LOL. And I'll try to update my stories equally - I really would rahter finish this one off, then finish off the others.   
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : You have a story? Cool! I'll check it out when I get a moment of free time to myself. And Tsuki is violent because she's that way!! Everything will piece together in the end.   
  
**Kaija Katake** : You haven't reviewed in forever, but I'm glad to see that you're back! Also, I think it explains a bit more about the little girl, but we'll find out exactly who she is a bit later. You'll have to wait for chapter 17 or so.   
  
**Ookami Aya** : Yeah, fanfiction.net has been really wierd lately. Like, it will send me an e-mail alert when someone reviews, but it only does it for certain people. It's really really weird.   
  
**Psychocatgal** : Yes, there are quite a few chapter left. And yes, this is the last story in the series. And I'm not quite sure how many chapters are left, exactly.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : *grins* We'll see if your theory is right or not later on, won't we?   
  
**crimson7319** : It was supposed to be some subtle humor there. Everything about her is red, orange - hot colors. But her name means green. LOL. 


	14. Chapter 14

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 14   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naomi stormed down the hall, Chuu following her like a puppy.   
  
  
  
"Are ya actually going to-" He started.   
  
  
  
"For the third time, yes, I am." She growled.   
  
  
  
"But 'e's your father! You can't jus' kill yer own father!" He exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"Watch me!" Naomi nearly shouted, whirling to face him. He blinked. "We were staying in the same damn house, and he never told me about our relation!"   
  
  
  
"But what about your mom? Ya can't kill _'er_!" He reasoned.   
  
  
  
"Look, she hid my past from me for my entire life - she sure as hell isn't getting away without me giving her a piece of my mind."   
  
  
  
She turned on her heel and resumed her walk towards Koenma's office. Chuu sighed, and trailed after her again.   
  
  
  
"You don't have to do this." He said.   
  
  
  
"Look, I'm going to go to go to Makai, and I'm going to have a major chat with my parents." She said. "I'm going to find Kurama, beat the shit out of him, and come home happy."   
  
  
  
She threw open the double doors leading to the Reikai Prince's office. She stormed in, and the toddler seemed quite surprised about the intrusion.   
  
  
  
"Naomi! What's the meaning of-"   
  
  
  
"Open a portal to Makai, right now. I need to get back." She demanded, putting her hands on her hips.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"You heard me." She growled fiercely. "Open the damn portal before I make you regret it."   
  
  
  
Koenma could've sworn that her eyes had just flashed gold…   
  
  
  
He quickly signaled for his oni to open the portal. "R-Right. Okay. There you go."   
  
  
  
Chuu heaved a sigh. She was always like this when she was mad…   
  
  
  
"Come on!" She said. "Let's get going."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Touya sighed and looked around. Everything was secure, and the villagers had been warned to be on their feet until they gave the word that all was safe and sound. Jin was now making an aerial check that things were alright. Kano had already gone with the others to Reikai, and they had been left to tidy things up.   
  
  
  
Shishiwakamaru had been there as well, but he had claimed that he was going to try to find Amaya as well. He had been missing ever since then - however, two hours had passed since then, and now the ice master was worried. Maybe he shouldn't have let him go by himself…   
  
  
  
"All clear up here, Touya!" Jin exclaimed, landing beside him. The wind master's ears were long and pointy, a signal to Touya that he was in anticipation.   
  
  
  
"Good. Shall we join the others, then?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"No need."   
  
  
  
They turned and saw Hiei standing there, with Kano, Yusuke, Midori and Dawn behind him.   
  
  
  
"What's the problem? I thought you all were going to hit the books and look for clues." Touya said, turning to face them fully.   
  
  
  
"There's a problem. That baka kitsune and Amaya have gotten captured, and we have reason to believe that the outcome will _not_ be pretty." Dawn said, placing a hand on her hip.   
  
  
  
Kano looked around. "Where are Suzuka and Shishiwakamaru?"   
  
  
  
"Shishi went to search for Amaya, and Suzuka is going to stay here to help the villagers with the defense system." Touya said.   
  
  
  
Jin grinned widely. "Yeah! When somethin' tries ta get near the village, it's whoo and whee and fun sorts! There's fire and wind an' a bit of ice. Then," Jin's blue eyes widened, and he lowered his voice slightly, "then the big boom happens."   
  
  
  
Touya sighed. "What Jin's trying to say is that when something comes within a mile of the village, the defense mechanism starts up, and fire, wind and ice get launched towards the attacker. Then, there is an explosion where the three collide. It fascinates him every time."   
  
  
  
Jin's eyes widened. "All the pretty colors…"   
  
  
  
Midori grinned from ear to ear, then pulled Jin into a tight hug. "Aww! Jin, you're so kawaii when you do that!"   
  
  
  
Kano frowned. "Hey…"   
  
  
  
She just rubbed her cheek against Jin's head, and the wind master looked confused.   
  
  
  
"Baka onna. Stop snuggling him and let's go." Hiei growled. Midori was starting to really get on his nerves…   
  
  
  
She blushed and let him go, and skipped over to Hiei. She then grinned. "Jealous, Hi-chan? I could always snuggle _you_ instead."   
  
  
  
"No! No more snuggling!" Kano exclaimed, folding his arms over his chest.   
  
  
  
Midori blinked and looked over at him. "Kuro-chan?"   
  
  
  
"Come on, let's go." He said, turning and starting towards where the message from Kurama had come from. Dawn followed him, and so did Yusuke. Hiei watched them start to walk away, and said, "Finally."   
  
  
  
"Kuro-chan, wait!" Midori exclaimed, running after him. She caught up, and grabbed onto his arm. "Kuro-chan, what's wrong?"   
  
  
  
"What's wrong?! You're always snuggling everyone else! That's what's wrong!" He said, not looking at her.   
  
  
  
"It's all in play." She said.   
  
  
  
"Midori is a naturally flirtatious person - she doesn't really mean it, Kano." Dawn said. "So stop being a pathetic baka. Not looking at her won't make her stop snuggling people."   
  
  
  
He looked over at his sister, and sighed. He looked back down at Midori, who was watching him hopefully.   
  
  
  
"Sorry. It's just…" He stopped and tried to search for the right words.   
  
  
  
"I know what you mean." She said, cutting him off. "I'm sorry I made you jealous."   
  
  
  
A slow smirk spread across her face. She pulled him down to her level, and whispered in his ear, "If you want, Kuro-chan, we can snuggle when this is over."   
  
  
  
He blushed at her implication.   
  
  
  
Hiei and Dawn rolled their eyes in unison.   
  
  
  
"Damn sappy romantics." Dawn said.   
  
  
  
"My sentiments exactly." Hiei said.   
  
  
  
"So, where are we going, exactly?" Jin asked.   
  
  
  
"Well, the message Kurama sent me was quite distorted, but I can only assume that that power we felt earlier is where they are." Hiei said. "So that's where we'll go."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"Pretty impressive." Naomi said. She had her hands on her hips, and she was looking up at the castle that loomed above them.   
  
  
  
It was dark, dank, and rather medieval looking. It had a tower in each corner, and there was a pillar of light coming from the center of the place.   
  
  
  
Chuu nodded in agreement. "So…your mom an' Kurama should be in there, righ', sheila?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah. I can feel her energy coming from somewhere near the center." She said. She started walking towards the wall, but Chuu caught her arm. She stopped and looked at his hand on her arm, then met his gaze.   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"Naomi…I want you to promise me that you won't do anything reckless." He said, a serious look on his face for once.   
  
  
  
But she only looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "What?"   
  
  
  
"Promise me!" He exclaimed. He knew how she could get sometimes…she would get in over her head, and one of them would have to bail her out of whatever trouble she had gotten into. But this time, he had a bad feeling. He knew that if she got into trouble, then she'd have to get out of it on her own…   
  
  
  
She stared at him for a second, surprised at his words. "Chuu-kun…"   
  
  
  
"Please, I want to hear you promise me." He said.   
  
  
  
"Fine. I won't do anything careless, Chuu-kun." She said. She got up on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips. She smirked. "I promise."   
  
  
  
It was his turn to stare. He then grinned, and pulled her in for another kiss. She didn't tense up like last time, and she seemed to actually like kissing him…   
  
  
  
She suddenly pulled away, and gave him a playful shove. "Hey! No tongue!"   
  
  
  
He grinned. "Sorry, sheila. Got a little carried away, I guess."   
  
  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Come on. We need to get into the castle."   
  
  
  
She grabbed his hand, and they started towards the castle.   
  
  
  
_I'm coming, mom. Just hold on a little longer… and Kurama, too._   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Yukina entered the room, and saw Shiori sit up. The woman had a confused look on her face. Yukina gently cleared her throat to get her attention.   
  
  
  
"Oh?" Shiori said, looking over at her. "Who…are you? And where am I? I was…I was in the house, and I remember feeling a bit ill, and then…is this a hospital?"   
  
  
  
"No…this isn't a hospital." She said.   
  
  
  
"Then where am I?" She asked.   
  
  
  
"You're in Reikai. And there's something that I have to tell you about your son." Yukina said.   
  
  
  
So, she launched into the explanation of all she knew about Kurama. His life as Youko Kurama, his mate Amaya, his reincarnation as Minamino Shuichi, and part of his current predicament.   
  
  
  
She decided not to tell her about Naomi, because that might have been too much for the poor woman.   
  
  
  
When she finished, Shiori stared at her.   
  
  
  
"Shuichi has done…all of that?" She asked quietly.   
  
  
  
"Shiori-san, I'm terribly sorry about this." She said. "We had all meant for Kurama-san to tell you about this, but he couldn't. Please, don't be mad at him - he only wanted to protect you."   
  
  
  
She smiled, and shook her head. "Iie, iie [no, no]. That's alright. I…I figured as much. I always knew that there was something special about my son."   
  
  
  
Yukina was surprised. She had expected her to be…well, she wasn't quite sure what she had expected.   
  
  
  
"Shiori-san, you're still recovering. Perhaps you should get some sleep." She said gently.   
  
  
  
Shiori nodded. "But first…what is your name?"   
  
  
  
"Yukina." She replied, smiling slightly.   
  
  
  
"Yukina…" She repeated.   
  
  
  
Shiori nodded, then settled back into the bed. She fell asleep shortly after, and Yukina stood.   
  
  
  
"Amaya…is in danger…" She said, in a voice not entirely her own. It sounded small, like a child's.   
  
  
  
Yukina stopped, and turned around very slowly. "What?"   
  
  
  
"Keep Naomi away…she holds the key to the destruction of the three worlds. And Amaya…is no longer herself…help her!!"   
  
  
  
The door opened, startling the petite ice maiden from her daze. She spun around, and saw Kuwabara enter.   
  
  
  
"Kazuma-san!" She exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"What is it, Yukina-san?" He asked. "And have you seen Naomi anywhere?"   
  
  
  
"Kazuma-san, she's gone! I know it! And Shiori-san, she just-she just said something about Amaya-san, but her voice wasn't hers!" She said quickly.   
  
  
  
He grabbed onto her shoulders. "Yukina! Calm down!"   
  
  
  
She blushed. "G-Gomen nasai, Kazuma-san."   
  
  
  
"Now what were you saying?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I think that Naomi-san is already gone." She said. "And I think that she may be in danger."   
  
  
  
"Right. I'll go to Makai and meet up with the others." He said.   
  
  
  
He turned and started to leave, but she called after him.   
  
  
  
"Kazuma-san!"   
  
  
  
He turned around, and gave her a questioning look. She blushed.   
  
  
  
"Onegai [please]…be careful."   
  
  
  
He grinned. "Sure, baby."   
  
  
  
He started out the door to join the others.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama slowly walked through the hall, trying to get circulation back into his wrists by rubbing them furiously.   
  
  
  
The whole castle was like a giant labyrinth, he noted, and it wasn't making his life any easier.   
  
  
  
He just wanted to find Amaya and get the both of them out as soon as possible. The place gave him the creeps.   
  
  
  
It looked nice, sure, - tile floors and highly decorated spaces made it look like the halls of a nice European cathedral - but it had an evil aura about it. Despite the fact that there were no overhead lights in the hall, it was still well lit by small blue balls of flame lining the walls where torches should have been. They had a nice, cheery air about them, making the trip down the winding, twisting corridors a bit less dreary.   
  
  
  
However, he didn't have time to stop and admire the cure little flames. He needed to find his mate before something bad happened, like he felt it would.   
  
  
  
So, he tried to search out her rei-ki amongst the other swirls of odd energies around him. He could faintly feel a distorted version of it up ahead, behind a door to the right - that puzzled him, but he remembered 'Tsuki' saying that things were distorted often in the castle.   
  
  
  
He walked forward and opened the door, readying himself for attack from any angle.   
  
  
  
However, he found himself entering a pitch-black room.   
  
  
  
He stepped inside slowly, listening for any movement.   
  
  
  
The door slammed shut behind him, nearly causing him to jump through the ceiling. He had a bad feeling about this.   
  
  
  
A _very_ bad feeling.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!! Cliffie again! I think from now on the rest of the chapters will be cliffies, with the exception of the epilogue. Yes, sadly this is the final story in the series. *sniffles* But not to worry! I just got a great idea for another one! And this isn't the ONLY story that I have - hint hint, wink wink.   
  
  
  
Also, are people starting to lose interest in this fic? I seem to be losing reviewers - Kelly, Youko, Kagome0102, and a few of my regulars aren't reviewing anymore, and that delays the updating a bit. I'm not trying to sound snobby - I'm just trying to keep you all interested. If no one tells me why they aren't interested in the story, then I don't know how to fix it to make it better.   
  
  
And here's a list of a few stories that I highly recommend that you read:   
  
**Hiei Meets Cosmo And Wanda** - Kaze Tsukai   
  
**Heart of Atlantis** - LuckyKoorime   
  
**Charmed and Dangerous** - LuckyKoorime   
  
**Half emtpy, Half full** - crimson7319   
  
**Things I'll Never Say** - Blue Pixie Dust (It's very well written)   
  
**All About You!** - Sun Priestess   
  
**The Girl of Legends** - Sun Priestess   
  
And anything by Frith, Volpone, Hanyou Lothuial, or Kaeru Soyokaze. Their stories are the BEST!   
  
  
  
**miyako14** : Okay! Don't worry - this one is going to be about twenty chapters long. It's almost over.   
  
**Katie E.** : I'd love to read your stories! You should definitely post them! Who gives a damn if the chapters are short! I'll make you a deal - you post one of your stories up here, and I'll let you read the next chapter before I even post it. Okay? How about THAT for a deal, ne?   
  
**blue pixie dust** : Yes, but the point of writing is to improve your skills, and yet have fun with it at the same time. As long as you enjoy writing, then nothing else really matters.   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : LOL! I'm sooooo sorry! I could've sworn that I did thank you though! But then I checked and saw that I was wrong! Gomen, Lucky-chan! But still, you get the biggest thanks of all, because without you, I never would've been able to write this story!   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Ha! He didn't even know she was gone until she was already at the castle in Makai. LOL. Fake Tsuki should be explained a bit later, I think.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : I should hope it's getting good! This is the conclusion of the series! It's supposed to be the best out of them all. At least, it has the most reviews. ^___^   
  
**Suzaku no Miko** : You think this pieces together, just wait until later. And thanks on the complement of Naomi - she's definitely got her father's good looks. And his personality. LOL. But then again, her mother is pretty too, so she's just lucky, unlike Kuwabara. And .Hack? Really. Never would've thought of that - I love the music. It's all very pretty, and once you pointed it out, it does have a lot to do with the moon. I love the song, _Kimi ga Ita Monogatari_. I have that one only on CD - I'm so jealous! I love the song, _Fake Wings_. It's seriously the most beautiful thing that I have ever heard - is that on your CD? 


	15. Chapter 15

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
  
  
Chapter 15   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
The other group arrived at the castle a bit later, and had almost the same reaction as Naomi. They all gaped at the edifice - the magnificent, yet distinctly evil place.   
  
  
  
"Hey, guys, wait up!!"   
  
  
  
They all turned to see a certain carrot-topped teen running down the hill towards them. Call him Grace, but he fell face first and slid down the rest of the way.   
  
  
  
Hiei had been surprised and enraged about Kuwabara's just showing up. Surprised at the fact that he had managed to find them without any outside help, and angry that he had disobeyed his direct order to stay behind with Yukina and Naomi.   
  
  
  
He growled at him. "Baka! I told you to stay in Reikai!!"   
  
  
  
"She came here with Chuu." He said, standing and dusting himself off. "And Kurama's mom was sayin' some weird stuff about Amaya not being Amaya, and to keep Naomi away."   
  
  
  
Midori looked over at the castle. "I hope she's okay…"   
  
  
  
Dawn noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She turned slightly, and said, "Better be worried about us." She said. "We were expected."   
  
  
  
A whole fleet of the sendings were coming towards them, and they all got ready for the fight.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Chuu glanced down at Naomi. She seemed quite upset, and he couldn't blame her.   
  
  
  
The girl had never known a father, and one day, he just shows up and doesn't say a word about their relation.   
  
  
  
He'd be mad too, were he in her place…   
  
  
  
They were now wandering around the halls, trying to find either Amaya or Kurama.   
  
  
  
Naomi suddenly stopped in front of a door, and the Australian warrior stopped as well.   
  
  
  
"Naomi-kun?"   
  
  
  
"There's something powerful in there…I can feel it calling my name." She said. She turned and pushed open the door, and they entered.   
  
  
  
The room looked like it belonged in a cathedral. The whole room seemed to be made of gold - golden statues and intricate gargoyles decorated the ceiling and floors, and great golden pillars graced the walls. The ceiling was painted with a detailed and beautiful full moon, with a few clouds blowing past it. It was so realistic, that they would've believed it if someone told them that that was really the moon. On the walls, scenes of equal detail were painted of tennyos bathing and koorime playing with birds.   
  
  
  
The center of the room was one giant silver stone, its surface fogged over so that it almost looked like ice. There was a thin layer of fog down by their feet, which added to the illusion. The stone seemed to pulse with silver light.   
  
  
  
"Wha'…wha' is this place?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
Naomi's eyes seemed to glaze over for a second. Her hand moved to her necklace.   
  
  
  
"This power…is familiar." She whispered.   
  
  
  
"Naomi?"   
  
  
  
She snapped out of whatever daze she had been in. "Huh? What?"   
  
  
  
"You okay?" He asked.   
  
  
  
She nodded, and touched her necklace again. "Chuu!"   
  
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
  
"My necklace…is pulsing." She glanced over at the stone. "In rhythm with that stone."   
  
  
  
"Why would it do that?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I don't know." She replied honestly.   
  
  
  
Chuu didn't like this room. It was starting to give him the creeps.   
  
  
  
"Naomi-kun, I think we should leave." He said.   
  
  
  
He grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Kurama took another step into the room, and little flames flickered to life along the walls, lighting up the room.   
  
  
  
He blinked for a second, letting his eyes adjust to the sudden brightness.   
  
  
  
He turned slightly, and saw a woman standing there.   
  
  
  
She was beautiful. She had long, flowing silver hair that fell to her waist in glossy sheets. Her eyes were like the churning ocean, a swirl of blue and green. A silver crescent moon adorned her forehead, almost like a tattoo.   
  
  
  
Her dress was quite unusual for her. She wore all black, which made her look even paler than normal. The top a halter, and there was a white cord tied beneath her chest. Her skirt was long, and had two slits running all the leg on both sides. Another white cord was tied loosely around her waist. To complete the look, she wore high-heeled shoes with straps that crisscrossed her feet and tied at her ankles.   
  
  
  
One had was placed causally on her hip, and he noticed that two golden bands adorned each wrist.   
  
  
  
There was a sharp pain in his chest when he breathed her name, and her beautiful face held no recognition of him.   
  
  
  
"Ah, kokitsune. I wasn't expecting you just yet."   
  
  
  
Kurama looked over at Tsuki, who had just entered from the other side of the room.   
  
  
  
"What's wrong with Amaya? What did you do to her?" He demanded.   
  
  
  
"I merely took control. I forced her soul out of her body, and let part of mine enter it. In about three hours, Amaya's soul will disintegrate, and there will be no chance of ever getting your precious mate back."   
  
  
  
The way she said it…so callous and cold…it sent shivers down his spine. But that was because…before he had met Amaya, he had been the exact same way…   
  
  
  
"However, if you can break her bracelets, then my soul will return to me, and her soul will be free to return to her body."   
  
  
  
"Why do you need her?" He asked.   
  
  
  
"I need her to raise the goddess called Koori. Because when that goddess is raised, a sacrifice is needed to complete her. Someone with her blood…" She ran a finger down Amaya's cheek, and Kurama growled. "And when Amaya is dead and Koori is raised, I'll take over her body. My sendings and bugs will be child's play compared to the powers I'll have. Of course, I can't raise Koori without that necklace. So until I find it, you two kiddies can play."   
  
  
  
She turned on her heel and started walking away. She snapped her fingers, and Amaya's eyes flashed.   
  
  
  
"Kill him."   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
"Ah!" Naomi stopped walking and touched her head gingerly.   
  
  
  
"You alrigh'?" Chuu asked.   
  
  
  
"Yeah…it was just a little pang." She said.   
  
  
  
"Naomi-chan!!"   
  
  
  
The hanyou was suddenly tackled to the ground by Midori. Chuu sighed.   
  
  
  
"Midori, get off of me!!" Naomi growled.   
  
  
  
Chuu helped them both up, and Midori grinned. "So, what have _you two_ been up to, all by your lonesome?"   
  
  
  
Chuu stared at her, and Naomi blushed slightly.   
  
  
  
"Midori!" Naomi exclaimed, mortified.   
  
  
  
The phoenix just giggled, and started singing, "Naomi and Chuu, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage!"   
  
  
  
"Knock it off!" Dawn exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"Have you guys seen my mom?" Naomi asked, trying to hide her blush and change the subject.   
  
  
  
"No, we haven't." Hiei replied.   
  
  
  
"Only a few ugly sendings." Dawn said. She flipped her flaming red hair over her shoulder.   
  
  
  
"Damn…my ningen…body can't…take this any more." Kano panted.   
  
  
  
Midori looked over at him. "Are you alright, Kuronue-kun?"   
  
  
  
He nodded. "Just tired."   
  
  
  
"More like out of shape." His twin snorted.   
  
  
  
"I'm not out of shape! For your information, I can bench press more than you weigh, I do a hundred push ups in one sitting, and I've got what you ladies refer to as a 'six-pack'. Do you call that out of shape?" He said.   
  
  
  
Midori looked over at him. "You've got a six-pack?"   
  
  
  
"Wow, I thought you'd know something like that, Midori." Naomi said, wanting to get back at her for the teasing.   
  
  
  
"I've never seen him shirtless before." The phoenix replied.   
  
  
  
"I thought that you'd have already." She said.   
  
  
  
Midori glared. "Shut up. Daydreaming doesn't count."   
  
  
  
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Look, let's just go. We need to find that idiot and Amaya before they get themselves into trouble."   
  
  
  
"I don't know if this will mean anything…but we found this weird room with a huge gem in the floor. My necklace seemed to react to it." Naomi said.   
  
  
  
The corridor suddenly shuddered, putting them all on their guard.   
  
  
  
The floor beneath Naomi's feet turned black like a shadow, and tendrils shot up and wrapped around her. She screamed, but her cries were cut off when she was pulled into the floor.   
  
  
  
"Naomi!" Chuu exclaimed, running to the spot that she had just occupied.   
  
  
  
But the floor was solid again.   
  
  
  
"Damn it! She's gone!"   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
Naomi slowly opened her eyes, and realized that she was laying on cold, wet stone. She seemed to be in some kind of dungeon…   
  
  
  
She sat up, and gingerly touched the side of her head, wincing when she felt a cut.   
  
  
  
She looked to the right, and saw Shishiwakamaru there.   
  
  
  
"Shishi!" She exclaimed, crawling over to him. "He's…unconscious."   
  
  
  
_How could I have forgotten about him? He disappeared right after mom did…_   
  
  
  
"I brought him here earlier, and asked him about the necklace. Unfortunately, the fool had no answers."   
  
  
  
Naomi spun to face Tsuki, who had just entered the room.   
  
  
  
"Who are you?!" She demanded.   
  
  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that any way to talk to your aunt?" The fake tennyo replied, smirking.   
  
  
  
"You're not her." Naomi said, her sea-green eyes narrowing. "She died when she was little. Who are you? Really?"   
  
  
  
She chuckled. "That's not of importance right now. But I'll make you a deal - hand over your necklace, and I'll let you two leave with your lives."   
  
  
  
"Sorry, but I don't negotiate with psycho-bitches." The hanyou growled.   
  
  
  
Tsuki suddenly disappeared, and Nomi blinked.   
  
  
  
"What the-?"   
  
  
  
She was hit hard in the stomach, and the force of the blow not only knocked the wind out of her, but made her cough up blood.   
  
  
  
Tsuki reached down and easily snapped the necklace off of her neck while she tried to regain her breath.   
  
  
  
She smirked. "Thanks."   
  
  
  
She turned and shimmered away, leaving Naomi and Shishiwakamaru by themselves.   
  
  
  
The hanyou finally caught her breath, and angrily slammed her fist on the ground. "Damn it!!"   
  
  
  
_Naomi…please…help…me…_   
  
  
  
Naomi blinked. That had sounded lime her mother's voice…   
  
  
  
She shook it off, and proceeded to try to wake up Shishiwakamaru.   
  
  
  
She had a bad feeling that they were going to need all the help that they could get.   
  
  
  
~*~   
  
  
  
**Author's Notes** : Would it just kill you all if I told you that I'm finished writing the story, and I just need to type it up?   
  
  
**_Also, I'm looking for a beta reader. If you spell well, are willing to scream at me when I make a mistake, and you like the idea of being able to read a chapter before I post it, then let me know in a review. Or, just e-mail me. Snowfirefly@aol.com_**   
  
  
  
**Mah** : Jin is adorable!! He's my second favorite character.   
  
**Volinde** : The ending will blow you away! And I'm glad that you're reviewing again.   
  
**miyako14** : If the suspense is killing you now, then you'll be killing ME by the end of the next chapter. It's such a major cliff hanger that it's not even funny. I'll have people beating me with spiked maces (the same ones they used to beat Shishi earlier).   
  
**FallenAngel5641** : The next chapter will have your 'screaming match'. Not to worry. And if you think this was a bad cliffie, wait until the next one. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!   
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : You're welcome! I liked your fic!   
  
**Sun Priestess** : That's okay! It's just that I thought that I wasn't making the story interesting enough, and that's why no one was reviewing…   
  
**Lord of Chaos** : No way in hell I'm gonna grow up and build bridges… are you a sophomore then? Or are you just incredibly smart?   
  
**Story Weaver1** : Yeah, she is a naught phoenix, isn't she? LOL   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : I swear, Nisha-chan, you're probably going to leave a super-long review telling me all the horrible, gruesome ways that you're going to kill me when you're done reading the next chapter.   
  
**Katie E.** : I give you my word that I will NOT kill Kurama for a third time. Do you realize how weird that sounds? He's my favorite character, and I've killed him TWICE.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : *grins* You know, the next chapter, you will have an attack. Naomi meets up with Kurama in the next chappie, and the ending is such a cliffhanger that everyone is going to send me death threats.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Yeah, you gotta love Kuwa-chan. He's not bishie, but he's adorable in his won way…especially when he's talking to Yukina!   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : and last but sure as hell ain't least, Lucky-chan. There are times when I'm right too you know… *coughSOMETIMEScough* You wrote fluff! I'm soooooooooooo proud of you! You get the Atta Girl for the day! ^___________^ Hiei and Cassie forever!!! That was so kawaii! 


	16. Chapter 16

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
Chapter 16   


  
Just in case you're sensitive about cursing, this chapter rating is up a little. Naomi isn't quite as bad as Midori, however. 

----------------------------------  
  
Kurama cried out when Amaya struck him again. He fell to all fours and she kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could, sending him rolling across the floor and hitting the wall.   
  
He groaned.   
  
_Damn! She's too…strong. I can't get close enough to break those bracelets…and there's only so much time left…_   
  
He wished…he wished that he would open his eyes and realize that he'd just been dreaming. He'd discover that he was safe and sound at home, and Amaya was asleep in his arms…   
  
But that wasn't going to happen.   
  
He blocked when she kicked at him again, and he summoned a plant that bound her other leg to the floor. This seemed to keep her there, and Kurama rolled away from her and stood.   
  
He had noticed that she was considerably weaker than before. She was still too much for him, but…something was missing. He wondered if it was her soul that gave her most of her power - or lack thereof.   
  
_Help me…I'm scared…_   
  
Kurama looked over and saw another ghost child. She was the mirror image of Tsuki, only with silver hair and a crescent moon. She was crying, and her tears were running in streams down her cheeks.   
  
"Amaya...?" He said quietly. She didn't seem to see him or realize that he was there.   
  
_Her astral form._   
  
He turned and saw Tsuki standing on the other side. She looked at Kurama. _Break the bracelets. Now._   
  
Amaya was tearing at the plants furiously, and he grabbed her wrist, using more plants to shatter the golden band. Amaya's astral form flickered briefly, a sign that it was working.   
  
He grabbed the other wrist, but Amaya bit him, sinking her teeth into the tender flesh of his wrist. He cried out and pulled away, trying to stop the blood flow. Amaya merely licked her lips, his blood running down her chin.   
  
"Kokitsune," crooned 'Amaya', in a voice that was _definitely_ not hers. "So weak and fragile, yet with blood sweeter than any other's."   
  
The door suddenly burst open, and both of them looked over. Naomi and Shishiwakamaru were there, and they entered the room.   
  
Kurama stared at his daughter, though she didn't seem to notice - either that, or she liked ignoring him.   
  
"Well, if it isn't psycho-bitch." Naomi said, walking casually towards the possessed tennyo. "Only this time, you're in my mom. Guess I can take out some aggressions then." She said, stopping just out of striking range and cracking her knuckles.   
  
"Naomi, break the bracelet!" Kurama exclaimed.   
  
She narrowed her eyes at him threateningly. "I know that, asshole. You're next on my 'people I need to beat the shit out of today' list."   
  
Kurama blinked in surprise, and Shishiwakamaru came over to him.   
  
"She knows that you're her father." He explained.   
  
"Oh."   
  
Shishi sighed and pulled out a strip of cloth while Naomi started fighting Amaya, who had just broken free from her plant bindings.   
  
"Normally, I'd let you bleed, but I can't." He said, kneeling down and starting to wrap the kitsune's wrist.   
  
Kurama winced, then gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"   
  
"I mean…I can see how much she cares about you. And…if it makes her happy, then I'll…you can be with her." He said.   
  
"Oh…didn't know that I needed permission from you to stay with my mate." Kurama said sarcastically.   
  
Naomi seemed to have no trouble at all fighting against her mother, who was quickly beaten. Kurama could only assume that pent up anger was the source of her sudden strength.   
  
Amaya fell to her knees, panting heavily. Naomi roughly grabbed her wrist and snapped the bracelet off.   
  
The tennyo gasped, and her eyes flashed.   
  
"I…what…what happened?"   
  
Kurama nearly grinned as he jogged over to them.   
  
"Naomi, that was-"   
  
She whirled on him, pointing an accusing finger in his face.   
  
"You! You god damn, mother-fucking, schizophrenic excuse for a frilly, flower-wielding gay kitsune father!" She screamed. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?! Huh?! Where the hell are your balls, flower boy?!"   
  
Kurama gaped at her, surprised at everything that had just come tumbling out of her mouth.   
  
She suddenly punched him as hard as she could, squarely in the jaw, and sent him flying into the opposite wall.   
  
Amaya quickly got to her feet. "Kurama!" She then looked over at Naomi, her eyes wide. "Naomi! Did you do that off of the top of your head?"   
  
Kurama groaned and sat up, glaring at her. "Gee, thanks, Amaya. I care about you too."   
  
"Oh! Gomen nasai!" She exclaimed, running over to him. She kneeled down. "Are you alright, Kurama-kun?"   
  
"No. I just got punched in the face. I'm perfectly fine." He said, rolling his eyes.   
  
"Oh, well that's a relief." Amaya said, smiling.   
  
Kurama stared at her, and she blushed sheepishly.   
  
"Oh…you were being sarcastic, weren't you?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Sorry."   
  
She cupped his face in her hands and they glowed silver, healing him. She let go and smiled.   
  
"Thanks." He said, standing up.   
  
Amaya stood as well and smiled sweetly at her daughter. "Better now, honey?"   
  
"Much." Naomi replied.   
  
The building started to shake and rumble, causing them all to fall over slightly.   
  
"Wh-what was that?" Amaya asked, once the shaking had stopped.   
  
"Koori." Shishiwakamaru and Kurama said in unison. 

----------------------------------  
  
The four of them were running down the hall towards the room that Naomi and Chuu had found earlier. When they reached the door, the others were already there.   
  
"Naomi-kun!" Chuu exclaimed.   
  
She grinned. "Did ya miss me?"   
  
He gave a lopsided grin back. "Ha! Sure as hell! Ya alright, though? Ya have a cut, righ' here." He said, pointing to his temple.   
  
She shook her head. "I'm fine. Like you said, it's just a cut."   
  
Dawn walked towards the door, and stopped. "It's coming from here, isn't it?"   
  
It was more of a statement than a question.   
  
"Right! So let's go kick some goddess butt!" Amaya exclaimed.   
  
"No." Kurama said.   
  
She gave him a confused look. "What do you mean, 'no'?"   
  
He looked back at her. "You have to stay here. Tsuki, the evil one, she said that she needed your blood to finish raising the goddess. And Tsuki's ghost said, 'the process may kill her'. And while she may be vague, I don't want to risk it."   
  
"But-"   
  
"Please. I know you never listen to me, but this time…" He stopped.   
  
"I will." She said.   
  
He smiled in relief. She stepped forward and hugged him. "But please, be careful."   
  
He hugged her back, then pulled away. Amaya put a hand on her hip and gave Naomi a stern look.   
  
"And you'd better not leap into battle without thinking first, you hear?" She said.   
  
Naomi blinked, then grinned. "I won't."   
  
The others turned and went into the room, ready to face whatever might get tossed their way. Tsuki was already there, on the other side of the giant gem, chanting something in Latin. Amaya's necklace was suspended and glowing in the air before her.   
  
And the stone itself was pulsing rapidly, and even brighter than before.   
  
The fake tennyo opened her eyes slowly, and she looked towards the newcomers. She smirked.   
  
"Ah. If it isn't kokitsune." She said. "And his ragtag band of jokes."   
  
Dawn growled. "Don't group me in with an idiot like him."   
  
"Well, whether you're with him or not, it's already too late. I've just finished."   
  
The pulsing of the stone suddenly stopped, and the surface rippled like water. A woman slowly floated out of the stone, though she looked as though she were sleeping.   
  
She was beautiful, with long, silver hair that reached her ankles in perfectly straight and even sheets. She had a pale complexion, and a thin crescent moon on her forehead - one that almost matched Amaya's.   
  
She wore an elegant dress. The whole thing was made of silk, and was silver in color. The top was off the shoulder, with long, billowing sleeves that belled out from the elbow, hiding her hands beneath them. The skirt reached to the floor, and had a slit all the way up the right leg. At the lower corner, near the opening, a white moon was etched - a simple, yet beautiful addition to the dress. She also wore sandals.   
  
Her hair blew around her for a moment, before settling back into place.   
  
And then she collapsed.   
  
She fell hard onto the stone, which was solid once more.   
  
Tsuki frowned. "She needs a sacrifice to be complete. Where did you leave Amaya?"   
  
When no one answered her, she stepped forward to the fallen goddess, taking the necklace and securing it on her. The crescent on Koori's forehead flashed briefly, then Tsuki looked over at them.   
  
"Well? Where is she?"   
  
"Like we'd tell you." Naomi snorted. "Where she is is none of your business."   
  
Jin looked confused. "But whenever I ask ya somethin' like tha', ya tell me 'up yer butt an' aroun' tha corner'."   
They all raised eyebrows at him, then looked back to Tsuki.   
  
Naomi got into a fighting stance. "Come on. Bring it, bitch."   
  
Tsuki frowned, then seemed to remember something. "Fine. Come at me, Naomi."   
  
The hanyou shrugged. "Your funeral."   
  
She started running towards the tennyo, summoning her spirit sword as she did. Kurama was slightly confused as to why Tsuki would let someone charge at her, then he realized why.   
  
"Naomi, don't!!"   
  
But it was too late.   
  
Tsuki easily dodged the attack, and grabbed Naomi's arms, pinning them behind her back. She smirked.   
  
"You see, to raise Koori completely, I need someone with just the tinniest percentage of tennyo or koorime blood. And you, my dear, are half tennyo."   
  
"Naomi!" Chuu and Kurama exclaimed at once.   
  
Dawn's eyes narrowed. If no one else would attack Tsuki, then she would.   
  
She ran forward as well, using her pyrokinesis to light the tennyo's hands on fire, and effectively making her drop her hold on Naomi. She then jumped into the air, and Naomi ducked, clearing a path for the firestarter to kick Tsuki right in the head.   
  
She went flying back into the wall, and Midori ran forward as well, using her fire to help.   
  
Tsuki growled, then waved her hand, sending all three girls flying back towards the others. She then stumbled to her feet, and spat some blood onto the floor. She closed her eyes, and chanted something else in Latin.   
  
Doppelgangers appeared beside her, one for each fighter, plus herself.   
  
"This should keep you nuisances busy." She said.   
  
Hiei stepped forward. "Listen, everyone. Because there are so many, that means that she'd have to divide her soul to accommodate all of them. That's the type of demon she is. If you use your strongest techniques, they'll fall easily."   
  
Everyone grabbed a doppelganger and started fighting.   
  
The real Tsuki smirked, and started walking towards the door.   
  
_What the fools don't know is that if they just killed me, then all of the doppelgangers would vanish. Unfortunately, they can't tell which is real and which is fake. And while they're busy, I'll just grab the tennyo. Koori **will** be raised._   


----------------------------------

  
  
Amaya jumped in surprise when the doors slammed open. She _had_ been leaning against the wall, but she jumped to her feet almost instantly.   
  
Her eyes widened when she saw Tsuki emerge.   
  
"Ah, dear sister, it's time to face your destiny, I'm afraid." She said tauntingly. "Will you come peacefully, or must I hurt you? Heaven know I don't want to waste your precious blood."   
  
"You aren't my sister. Who are you, really?" Amaya demanded, getting into a defensive position.   
  
"I am a humble soul-stealer by the name of Lamia. I was a servant of Leiko, but now, everyone will be bowing to _me_ instead." She said, putting a hand on her hip.   
  
Amaya threw a ball of silver rei-ki at her, but it was deflected easily.   
  
Tsuki shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That wasn't very nice, Amaya-chan."   
  
She stepped forward, and grabbed Amaya's wrist.   
  
"Get the hell off of me!" She exclaimed, struggling to break from her grip. But Tsuki only hit her with her free hand behind the head, then grabbed her other wrist and pinned her arms behind her back.   
  
"You should've chosen the easy way out."   
  
She dragged her back into the room, and forced her towards the stone, though Amaya was struggling.   
  
"Let go!" She shouted. "Let me go!"   
  
Tsuki frowned, and hit her in the back, which made Amaya fall to her knees, her head bowed over the stone.   
  
Tsuki reached to the sword at her side, and drew the blade. She raised it high above her head, and exclaimed loudly, "And so you die!"   
  
Naomi watched in horror as the katana started to come down.   
  
There was…nothing that she could possibly do. That is, without getting both of them killed in the process. And even if she could, her feet seemed to be glued to the ground.   
  
_When the time comes, you may have to choose._   
  
_Choose…between myself and my mother…_   
  
Kurama blocked another attack from the doppelganger. He realized that none of them could help Amaya without getting killed. If they let their guard down for one minute, then the doppelganger would kill them.   
  
He would do it.   
  
He would sacrifice himself, if it meant that she could live. But something was binding him to his spot, and it wouldn't let him go.   
  
"Amaya!!" He screamed.   
  
The sound of sword meeting flesh almost seemed to echo around the sudden quiet of the room. Blood splattered onto the stone, and the only noise that any of them heard was a soft…   
  
_…thump._

----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** And now you all can't yell at me, because you all said, "Nah, I won't send you death threats!" Bet you'll go back on your word though. And I bet this chapter will get the most reviews. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAA!! The Queen of Suspense is living up to her name!!   
  
Oh, and I'm not sure if it was self-explanitory or not, but the villages were slaughtered by 'Tsuki', and she figured that if she laid them out like that, the Reikai Tantei would figure out who had done it and would come running straight to her. Because they were laid out in kanji - moon. Moon in Japanese (the old form) is 'Tsuki'.   
  
**_Also, I'm done with Midori's pic! She came out really well!! And guess what else I'm working on? Bloopers. For this fic and others. They'll be posted on the website when I'm done with this fic._**   
  
Guess what? Only the next chapter and the epilogue are left, and then this story is finished! That makes me sad...... And that means that all of you have to read my other stories.   
  
**Kagome0102** : Thanks, but it's just because I'm a perfectionist. And yes, Amaya would be around thirty. But she still looks like she's about eighteen. And Shishi is probably older than eighteen, and he just looks that way. So he's probably actually older than her, so I...I guess it would be okay. I never really thought about age. Just personalities, and needing someone for Kurama to hate - a romantic rival for Amaya.   
  
**LuckyKoorime** : Now you're only second. And don't worry about Lucky. Remember this quote - "Don't Worry, Be Happy!!"   
  
**Shessha's Crazy** : I'd be happy to beta read your story!! What's it about?   
  
**miyako14** : I tried to chose you to be my beta reader, but it sent the e-mail back. And I guess that's okay, considering that there are only two more chapters left. Would you perhaps like to beta read one of my other stories? If so, then E-MAIL me at Snowfireflyaol.com. That way, I can just hit reply, and it should work.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : True. They did mate when Kurama was a demon, but Amaya is a tennyo. That means that she has a tiny bit of demon blood, and thus Naomi couldn't be a full demon. Tennyos aren't really demons... And yes, I meant it more like "half-breed".   
  
**Katie E.** : I tried to e-mail you too! But you didn't reply. sniff If you want, you could beta read one of the other stories. E-mail me if you do. Snowfireflyaol.com   
  
**FieryKitsune** : Yeah, I'm mean that way. LOL. You sure you aren't going to send me a death threat? Somehow, I think you will.   
  
**Sun Priestess** : Did I top that other cliffhanger? And now you know what her reaction is. LOL.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Two chapters left. One chapter and the epilogue. And yes, Kano having a six-pack is....drool. LOL.   
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Personally, I think that Midori is a bit weird. But that's why I like her so much! If I had no restraints, I'd be just like her. LOL.   
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : Two chapters. And thank you! Is this cliffhanger just as good? My sister said that I'm evil. LOL.   
  
**Psychocatgal** : I think it is as bad as I said. LOL.   
  
**_Also, if this story breaks two hundred reviews by it's end, then I'll make sure to have a special treat - if any of you have read Hanyou Lothuial's 'YYH Vs. The Internet Survey', then I'll let you know that I'll make quizzes for each of the characters in this fic!! She gave me permission to use the form, so it's all okay!!   
  
Remember, 200 reviews!!!_**


	17. Chapter 17

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found   
  
Chapter 17   
  
**_Thanks go out to Miyako14, for being a wonderful beta reader!!_**

---------------------------------------------------  
  
Kurama stared, and then opened his mouth, only to close it again.   
  
She was…dead.   
  
He looked over at Shishiwakamaru, who only moved a hand to touch the wound in his stomach - the price for his saving of Amaya.   
  
He then returned his gaze towards Lamia. Her body burst into a fluffy of dust, and the doppelgangers did the same.   
  
Shishi's sword clattered to the ground, having fulfilled its purpose.   
  
Amaya let out the breath that she had been holding, and sat up again, her widened eyes turning to Shishiwakamaru.   
  
"Th-thanks."   
  
"Go Shishi." Naomi said jokingly. "If I didn't think it was disgusting, then I'd kiss you."   
  
He rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "Thanks."   
  
Amaya stood and shakily ran a hand through her hair. "That was…"   
  
He looked over at her. "Are you alright?"   
  
She nodded. "Yeah. Despite the fact that I was almost just killed, I'm feeling pretty peachy."   
  
"I'm just glad that this is over." Naomi said.   
  
Amaya walked over to Shishiwakamaru, and placed her hand on his stomach. He winced, and she healed his wound.   
  
He gave a half-hearted smile. "Thanks."   
  
Kurama felt a wave of jealousy, but reminded himself that Shishiwakamaru had said that he would give her up.   
  
"At least this is over." Naomi said, putting a hand on her hip.   
  
Amaya smiled. "Yeah."   
  
The ground rumbled, and everyone struggled to keep their balance. The rumbling stopped, and Koori slowly floated up into a standing position, and her eyes opened. Red eyes, with darker red pupils.   
  
"I spoke too soon." Naomi said, narrowing her eyes.   
  
The goddess's red eyes suddenly turned gold, and she smirked.   
  
"Simple. That was possibly the easiest take over that I've ever done." She said, looking at her hands.   
  
"But you were dead." Naomi said.   
  
"I was. But my soul had yet to leave. Thus, I was free to take over this body." She looked over at them and smirked. "And now I'm free to kill you all."   
  
"I think not." The hanyou said, summoning her spirit sword.   
  
Lamia frowned. "You would fight me, though I am now immortal?"   
  
"Hell yeah." Naomi said, smirking.   
  
Kurama got into a fighting position, and Amaya placed a hand on his arm. He gave her a quizzical look.   
  
"What?"   
  
Shishiwakamaru kept his gaze on Naomi, and said, "This is her battle, Kurama."   
  
Amaya nodded. "This is her destiny." She said. She smiled slightly. "One which I foresaw the day she was born."   
  
Naomi stepped up to the edge of the jewel, and Lamia's frown deepened. "You're serious?"   
  
"What do you think?"   
  
"Fine." The 'goddess' said, forming her won sword in her hand. "You'll fall quickly enough."   
  
Kuwabara smirked at Hiei. "See, short stuff? Even goddesses and hot babes use spirit swords."   
  
"Yes. I noticed that only women use them." He replied, not even looking at the orange-haired teen.   
  
"Hey!!"   
  
Naomi slowly started circling the goddess, eyeing her up. "You gonna hit me or what?"   
  
Lamia narrowed her golden eyes at her.   
  
"Can you even move? Do you have enough power to control that body?" She taunted.   
  
Naomi stopped circling, and said, "Bet you didn't take that into account, did you? You can't move from that spot. It's too much for you."   
  
"Shut up!" Lamia exclaimed. A burst of ki came up from the floor, and nearly hit Naomi, though she back flipped to avoid it.   
  
"Guess you can fight, to an extent." She said, touching the light wound on her side.   
  
She charged at Lamia, dodging all the ki thrown at her quite effectively. She then jumped into the air, and brought her blade down on Lamia, slicing her shoulder.   
  
The goddess cried out and fell to her knees. She growled, and her eyes flashed. More ki flew at Naomi, cutting her on both cheeks and on her other side.   
  
_She's strong…if she had mobility, I'd be toast._ Naomi thought, lightly touching the wound on her side. She smirked. _Well, it's a bit more interesting this way._   
  
White ki started erupting from the ground, and the hanyou started doing more back flips to avoid getting hit.   
Kurama was definitely impressed with her agility. "She's fast…very fast."   
  
"Keep it up, Naomi-chan!!" Midori called. "Just like we did in training!!"   
  
The silver-haired girl stopped when she reached the wall, then smirked again.   
  
"Damn. I thought that a goddess would be stronger than this." She taunted.   
  
She ducked when a blast of ki hit the area that her head had just occupied.   
  
"I'm only beginning to fight." Lamia spat. "Unlike you mortals, I have unlimited ki supplies."   
  
"Somehow, I don't think you know how to access those supplies." Naomi said.   
  
The goddess's eyes started to glow silver, and she growled.   
  
"Disrespectful wench! I'll make you regret those words."   
  
This time, ki shot at her from below and from behind, and she could only avoid the one from below. She got hit squarely in the back, and went face first into the stone floor below, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut from the sheer pain.   
  
_Okay…I take it back. She's still very strong, **despite** the fact that she can't move._   
  
Lamia smirked. "So weak and fragile."   
  
Dawn got fed up. She _hated_ being told to stay back and watch somebody else fight. She stepped forward and waved her hand, lighting Lamia's wound on fire.   
  
The goddess screamed again.   
  
"Dawn! This is our fight. Not yours." Naomi growled.   
  
Dawn only snorted.   
  
"I'll make sure there is no interference." Lamia growled, her eyes flashing again.   
  
"Chikusho!!" Amaya exclaimed.   
  
Kurama was surprised by her curse. "What?"   
  
"Get down!!" She exclaimed, tackling him to the ground. Everyone else ducked, and just in time.   
  
Lamia unleashed a wave of ki that was sent flying all across the room, blowing up several walls and nearly decapitating a certain orange-haired boy.   
  
Naomi growled. "What are you trying to do?! Kill them?!"   
  
"That's the idea." Lamia said, smirking.   
  
Naomi growled again, and her eyes flashed gold.   
  
"You…BITCH!!" She exclaimed. Wind whipped around her, and her eyes turned gold.   
  
Kurama's eyes widened in realization. "Her…kitsune form…"   
  
Amaya got off of him, and she blinked. "What? Kitsune form?"   
  
"It shouldn't be much different from what she looks like now…just ears and a tail, most likely." He said.   
  
Kurama was right.   
  
Naomi got fox ears on top of her head, and a tail, both dark silver in . Her eyes remained gold.   
  
"Will that…change anything?" Amaya asked.   
  
"She'll be twice as powerful now. In her normal form, her powers are a little more on the healing side. But kitsune…she'll be definitely more on the power and fighting side." Kurama explained. He smirked. "She'll be more powerful than I could have ever hoped to be as Youko."   
  
"S- ." Hiei said.   
  
"That powerful?" Kano asked.   
  
The kitsune and koorime nodded in unison.   
  
The newly transformed Naomi dashed at Lamia, spirit sword drawn and crackling with silver electricity.   
  
"You die now, bitch!!"   
  
Lamia threw up a barrier, though when Naomi's sword clashed against it, she seemed to be struggling.   
  
The others looked on anxiously.   
  
The fate of the three worlds depended on whether or not the barrier broke…   
  
And then, with a sound like shattering glass, the barrier dissolved and Naomi's reiken easily sliced through the possessed goddess.   
  
She let out a blood-curdling scream, and her body burst into flames.   
  
Naomi fell over onto her knees, panting. Her appearance returned to normal, and Chuu ran over to her.   
  
"Ha! Great job, Naomi-kun." He said, grinning. "Ya alrigh'?"   
  
She grinned back. "Yeah!"   
  
She started to stand, only to fall back onto her knees.   
  
"Just…tired."   
  
"Understandable." Amaya said, kneeling down beside her daughter. She smiled. "You used a lot of energy to defeat the world's strongest goddess."   
  
Naomi returned the gesture slightly, and her eyelids drooped. "Like I said…just tired."   
  
She suddenly fell over, and Chuu caught her.   
  
"Naomi-kun? Naomi-kun!" He exclaimed, shaking her shoulder slightly.   
  
Amaya stood. "She only fainted, Chuu."   
  
He nodded, and put her onto his back before rising.   
  
"Well, let's go 'ome." He said.   
  
_Amaya…minna-san…_   
  
Everyone turned around, and saw Tsuki standing there.   
  
For once, the child was all grins.   
  
_Thank you all so much! Without you…_ She just smiled instead.   
  
She started to glow slightly, and Ayame, in her spirit form, appeared beside her.   
  
Amaya smiled back. "You're going to heaven now, aren't you, Tsuki-chan?"   
  
She grinned. _I should hope so._   
  
They exchanged their goodbyes, and the ferry girl led her away, to be judged by Koenma.   
  
And then, all hell broke loose.   
  
The building started to shake and shudder.   
  
"Damn!!" Dawn exclaimed. "The place is collapsing! We need to get out."   
  
Jin grinned. "All we gotta do is have Urameshi blow a few 'oles in tha walls, an' we'll be all set!!"   
  
Yusuke smirked. "You got it."   
  
He turned and aimed his reigun at the wall, and started gathering as much energy as possible - he wanted one clear shot that would break through all of the walls.   
  
Amaya stopped and looked back at the place that Lamia had fallen. She slowly walked to the spot, and kneeled down. She picked up her necklace, and smiled slightly.   
  
She ran her fingers over the surface.   
  
"This…it's caused so much trouble…" She whispered.   
  
"Amaya, get down!!"   
  
She let out a cry of surprise when Kurama suddenly tackled her to the ground, saving her from getting squashed by a piece of the ceiling that had been coming right at her.   
  
She smiled. "Th-thanks."   
  
He got off of her and helped her up as well. He smiled back.   
  
"You're always getting into trouble." He said jokingly. "I have to save you."   
  
Yusuke shot the reigun, and it shot clear through to the outside.   
  
"Let's go, everybody!!"   
  
They all started running through the newly made tunnel, dodging falling rubble.   
  
The wall before the exit started crumbling, and Yusuke's eyes widened.   
  
"Shit! We aren't gonna make it!"   
  
"Yes we are!" Amaya called back.   
  
And sure enough, as soon as the last person was on the outside, the tunnel collapsed. Everyone made it up to the top of the hill, then flopped down onto the ground. Everyone was completely exhausted, and they watched the castle crumble in silence.   
  
"It's finally over." Amaya said, smiling.   
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
They decided to camp there for the night, just because everyone was too tired to make the trip to either the Shinobi village or to Reikai.   
  
Kano and Midori built a fire, and everyone sat in silence around it.   
  
It was already way past midnight, so most of them fell asleep almost instantly. That is, Kuwabara, Yusuke, Touya, Shishiwakamaru, Jin, Amaya, Midori, Chuu and Naomi were already asleep.   
  
Chuu and Naomi were side by side, sleeping on the ground, the former's arm around the latter's waist. Kano and Midori were in the same position, though the reincarnated bat demon had one had propping his head up as he lazily watched the dancing flames.   
  
Kurama was leaning against a tree, his tennyo leaning against him, deep asleep. He absentmindedly stroked her hair, which was the reason that she had fallen asleep so quickly.   
  
Hiei and Dawn were side by side, sitting against a tree and watching the fire as well.   
  
"What a day, huh?" Kano said.   
  
Kurama stopped his rhythmic stroking and sighed. "You can say that again."   
  
The two were silent again, and Kurama resumed caressing the sleeping tennyo's hair.   
  
Dawn sighed, and drew her knees to her chest. "Hiei?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Are…" She stopped and shook her head. She looked over at him, and held out her hand. "Friends?"   
  
He eyed her hand warily, then met her gaze. He thought about it for a second…   
  
Friends. Dawn was…despite the fact that they hadn't talked much, and had gotten off to a rocky start, he could say that they were friends.   
  
"Friends." He said. He drew the line when it came to physical contact.   
  
She rolled her eyes, but then smiled. "Right."   
  
Kurama sighed, and decided that he should really get some sleep. He gently moved Amaya off of him, and she opened her eyes slightly. He smiled apologetically, and laid down on the ground, pulling her towards him.   
  
"Sorry. I was trying to lay down so that I could sleep."   
  
She nodded, and put her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest.   
  
"Ai shiteru." She said sleepily.   
  
He smiled, and wrapped his arms around her waist as well.   
  
"I love you too."   
  
The rest of them fell asleep shortly after, with minds at ease with the defeat of Lamia.   
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
The next morning, they all woke up, and went to Reikai, where they hoped to get some breakfast for themselves. An anxious Yukina met them when they arrived.   
  
"Kazuma-san! Minna-san!" She exclaimed, running over to them. Well, as fast as one _could_ in a kimono.   
  
Kuwabara grinned. "Hey, baby. I told ya I'd save the day."   
  
She smiled. "Hai!"   
  
"How is my mother?" Kurama asked.   
  
Yukina blinked, then smiled. "Shiori-san is fine. Just…"   
  
"Shuichi…?"   
  
He looked past the petite ice maiden and saw Shiori standing in the doorway.   
  
"Kaasan." He said.   
  
She walked over to him, and smiled. "Hello, Shuichi."   
  
"Kaasan, how are you feeling? I mean, you were pretty out of it, and-"   
  
"Shuichi, your friend Yukina explained everything to me. About your…life." She said.   
  
Kurama paled, and looked at Yukina. She gave a bow.   
  
"Gomen nasai, Kurama-san, but I was told to."   
  
He looked back at his mother. "Are you…angry with me?"   
  
She smiled again. "Heavens no, Shuichi, dear. I'm more…surprised. And relieved."   
  
"Relieved?" He asked.   
  
"I had been worried about you for a while. The fact that you were always doing odd hours for random jobs, and just general lack of interest in anything when you came home. You should have told me sooner." She said. She looked past him. "Which one of these is Amaya?"   
  
Amaya stepped forward, and smiled slightly. "I am."   
  
Shiori smiled, then looked back at her son. "She's very beautiful."   
  
Amaya blushed. "Th-thank you."   
  
Naomi blinked, and leaned over to Chuu. She whispered, "Is that his mom?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"So she's…my grandma, then?"   
  
"Not quite, sheila. Because Kurama isn't technically yer father. It's more like…well, his demon form is yer father." He said.   
  
"Oh."   
  
Koenma came into the room, practically grinning from ear to ear.   
  
"Well, you not only fulfilled your mission - stopping the bugs - but you also saved the three worlds from certain destruction."   
  
"How are the humans in Ningenkai?" Amaya asked, remembering the condition of that world.   
  
"A few casualties, unfortunately, but they were blamed on an unknown virus. No one who was infected and survived remembers what happened." He replied. "I suppose that that's a good thing."   
  
"Next time you're going to send a relative of mine to Makai, you'd better warn me first. Because otherwise," Naomi cracked her knuckles. "you'll pay dearly."   
  
The Reikai Prince gulped, and smiled nervously. "R-Right!! Well, I'll let you all go back to your homes now."   
  
He quickly scampered off, and Naomi just smirked.   
  
"Chicken."   
  
"I guess…that we all have choices now." Amaya said.   
  
"Choices?" Her daughter repeated.   
  
"Whether you go back to Makai, or stay in Ningenkai." Dawn said.   
  
"Oh…"   
  
Kurama smiled. He hoped that Amaya and Naomi would stay in Ningenkai with him. They could be like a family, and they would be happy…   
  
Amaya smiled slightly. "I know where I want to stay." 

---------------------------------------------------  
  
**Author's Notes** : Well, that was the final chapter. And also, it was a cliffhanger. Because I'm evil that way. Remember - !'d like 200 reviews by the end, and then you'll get a treat.   
  
[sniffles] I'm so sad! But the epilogue kicks ass. It's hilarious - but you won't know until I post it.   
  
MWAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!   
  
However, if you want me to make another story, then you'll have to give me some ideas. Because this is supposed to be the end - but if enough people want it, and I get enough ideas to make into a full story, then I'll do it. But don't give any suggestions until the ends of the next chapter - because the story will have to go basically along with what happens in the next chapter.   
  
I'm going to be writing a Hiei / OC, Yu Yu Hakusho / Inu-Yasha X-over story, and I should be posting it soon. Um.... and there should be a story about Shuichi turning into Youko permamently...and basically, just keep cheking my profile page for all of my fics!!   
  
**miyako14** : You're the best!! This chapter is dedicated to you!!   
  
**Mah** : Thanks.   
  
**blackfire** : Here you go!!   
  
**Sun Priestess** : LuckyKoorime thought that up over lunch. That's what SHE thinks about Kurama, LOL.   
  
**FieryKitsune** : I'm glad that you refrained from the death threats. LOL.   
  
**Suzaku no miko** : MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAAA!!!!! cough Sorry.   
  
**Story Weaver1** : She's ALIVE!!! MWAHAHAHA - wait, that's what we wanted. LOL.   
  
**Dew-Drop Viper** : The epilogue will make up for it.   
  
**Chibi Lady** : Thanks you so much! I worked all through my day of being sick to finish Midori's pic.   
  
**Psychocatgal** : LOL. I know, I'm evil.   
  
**Katie E.** : Clinging to my feet....it works. LOL.   
  
**ShadowBlue** : That's a really cool name...are you sure you've reviewed before? I don't recognize the name....   
  
**Dark Vixen Nisha** : Amaya's fine! Yay! Let's all clap our hands!! 


	18. Epilogue

Kokoro No Kaitou : Once Lost, Now Found  
  
Epilogue

* * *

_Ten years...  
  
It's been ten long years since I've seen her. Since that day in Reikai, she made her decision. She wanted to stay in Makai... it hurts, but it was her choice.  
  
Still, I had found happiness. I now have a wife and child, and I love them more than anything in the world.  
  
But I miss her...she was still the first._

* * *

Kurama got out of his car and stretched. He was tired, and he still needed to help his wife make dinner. They had invited all of their friends over, for a ten-year reunion, of sorts.  
  
He reached back in and grabbed the present that he had brought home for his son. He rather enjoyed playing with toy weapons, and though his mother seemed to disapprove of them, the kitsune still brought them.  
  
He never could figure out why his wife was so against them...but he could only assume that it was because she didn't want their son to fight, though Kurama had full intentions of teaching him when he was older.  
  
Shuichi...his son. He was nine years old, and looked just like him. He had short red hair that always seemed to be messy, and bright green eyes. He was definitely the outdoors-type, and was always playing in the mud, much to his mother's displeasure.  
  
Kurama walked up to the front door, and opened it, and was greeted by a very excited boy, who threw himself at him. He fell back onto the ground, and smiled at his son.  
  
"Shuichi, take it easy!" The kitsune laughed.  
  
He grinned. "Sorry, Dad!"  
  
His wife poked her head out from the kitchen. "Shuichi, who is it?"  
  
He smiled at her. "Just me."  
  
She grinned. "Ohayo, Kurama-kun."  
  
After Kurama returned to Ningenkai, he asked Amaya to marry him. They were already 'married' in their own way, but it needed to be 'officiated' by in Ningenkai. For him, the mark on her neck was enough to say that they were married.  
  
Naomi...his first daughter, she chose to stay in Makai. He missed her, but she wanted to stay with Chuu...  
  
Shuichi got off of the redhead, and he stood up.  
  
"I got you something, Shuichi." He said, smiling.  
  
His eyes lit up. "What is it?"  
  
Kurama handed him the box, and he hurriedly opened it. He pulled out the toy and grinned.  
  
"Wow! Thanks, Dad!!" He exclaimed, starting to play with the plastic sword.  
  
Kurama entered the kitchen, and smiled at Amaya. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"More plastic weapons!! Why do you get him these things?" She said.  
  
He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Because he likes them."  
  
She just rolled her eyes. "You know that I don't like him playing with those."  
  
He just smiled and kissed her again.  
  
"Eww! Guys, get a room!!" Shuichi exclaimed, startling the both of them. "Kissing is icky!!"  
  
Kurama smiled sheepishly at him. "Gomen, Shuichi."  
  
He just held up the sword. "Fight me!!"  
  
"Don't I get a sword?" The kitsune asked.  
  
"Um..." He seemed to realize that the fight was unfair. "Wait, how about you be the demon, and I'll be the hero?"  
  
"Demons fight with swords too." His father said.  
  
"They aren't supposed to." He replied.  
  
Kurama considered telling him that he knew a demon that fought with a sword, then figured that he would only come up with a way to contradict what he was saying.  
  
The doorbell suddenly rang, and he skipped off to answer it.  
  
"That should be Dawn." Amaya said. "She said that she and Hiei would be arriving a bit early."  
  
Kurama nodded, and Shuichi came running back into the room.  
  
"Dad, there's a stranger at the door."  
  
"What does he look like?" Amaya asked.  
  
"He's ugly."  
  
Dawn came into the room, and put a hand on her hip. "He dragged me inside and slammed the door in Hiei's face."  
  
Kurama chuckled, but stopped when the firestarter glared.  
  
Hiei came in a second later, and narrowed his crimson eyes at Kurama's son.  
  
"Ohayo, Hiei, Dawn." Kurama said, trying to keep the fire youkai from killing Shuichi.  
  
Shuichi didn't seem to notice the look that Hiei was giving him, and instead grinned at the redhead.  
  
"Hey, Dawn." He said. The boy had a huge crush on the firestarter, and he didn't try to hide it.  
  
She smiled back. "Hey, Shuichi."  
  
"Why don't we go catch up in the living room?" Kurama suggested.  
  
"Sure." Dawn and Hiei said in unison.  
  
A bit later on, Kano and Midori arrived, along with their eight-year-old daughter named Skye.  
  
The child was just like her mother in appearance, though was like neither in personality. She was already powerful, but she hated to fight. She was much more interested in keeping her mid-back length wavy multi-colored hair in perfect condition than sparring with Shuichi, whom she hated. In fact, the only thing that she got from her father was his eyes - to a degree. They were more like a darker violet, almost blue color.  
  
Either way, Shuichi answered the door, and opened it slightly. He narrowed his eyes at Skye, who returned the gesture.  
  
"No girly-girls allowed." He said.  
  
He started to close the door, but Amaya caught it.  
  
"Shuichi!" She exclaimed in a scolding tone.  
  
The boy grumbled an apology and went back into the house. Amaya sighed, then gave the three an apologetic look.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry about him. Please, come inside."  
  
She stepped out of the way and they entered. Kano grinned and ruffled her hair.  
  
"Hey, it's no problem." He said.  
  
Amaya laughed, then hugged Midori. "Long time no see, you guys."  
  
Midori smiled. "Yeah! It's great to see you."  
  
Amaya pointed over her shoulder towards a room. "The others are already back there. Naomi and Chuu couldn't make it, unfortunately."  
  
"Right. They were a bit busy with their work in helping Yomi." Kano said. He smiled, and took Midori's hand. He grinned at his daughter. "Skye, why don't you go play with Shuichi?"  
  
"No way. He's an irresponsible jerk with nothing better to do than torment others." She stopped and gave a polite bow to Amaya. "No offense, Minamino-san."  
  
Amaya just smiled. "Well, I know that he can be troublesome, so if you want, you can just watch TV instead."  
  
Skye rewarded her with a perfect smile. "Thank you very much, ma'am."  
  
She gracefully walked into the playroom, where the TV was. Amaya smiled at her parents.  
  
"She's so polite!" She said. "I wish my son was like that. Unfortunately, he takes after his father."  
  
"Hey!" Kurama said, giving her a playful glare as he came out from the living room. "I'm not like that anymore."  
  
"Sorry!" She said, smiling. "Well, I'm going to go finish with dinner. It should be ready in about ten minutes."  
  
She left, and Kurama led them in to join the others.  
  
They all sat down, and Kurama smiled. "So, what has everyone been up to?"  
  
"Well, I've been working a lot. Midori's already pretty used to Ningenkai, and that makes it a lot easier. And Skye is doing well in school, and everything is pretty good otherwise." Kano said, putting his arm around the phoenix, who in turn grinned.  
  
"Touya an' Shishi' an' Suzuka an' me have been keepin' the village safe! Oh, an' Chuu an' Naomi have been helpin' too! Of course, they couldn' come 'cause they're busy with stuff all the way out on the other side of Makai, an' it was too far away for anyone ta reach 'em. Still, they're helpin' protect Makai." Jin exclaimed, grinning as wide as physically possible.  
  
Kuwabara grinned as well. "Things have been good. Yukina and I are engaged."  
  
"And Keiko and I are doing well." Yusuke said. He put an arm around his wife, whom he had married just one year after the defeat of Lamia.  
  
She smiled. "Yes. And our children, Mina and Raidon, are at their friends' houses right now."  
  
"Hiei and I are helping Mukuro with keeping ningens out of Makai." Dawn said.  
  
Amaya came in just then, and smiled at all of them. "Dinner's ready."

* * *

Almost everyone had sat down, when Shuichi came down from upstairs. It started with Shishiwakamaru, who was sitting next to Amaya. Then came Kurama, Kano, Midori, Jin, Touya, Suzuka, Kuwabara, Yusuke, and finally Dawn. Beside her were three empty seats, reserved for Hiei, and Naomi and Chuu, who had yet to arrive.  
  
Hiei had just been checking to see if either of the two were coming, and when he returned, Shuichi was in his seat beside Dawn.  
  
He narrowed his eyes, and walked over to him. He grabbed the boy's shirt collar, and Amaya and Dawn both immediately exclaimed, "Hiei, don't!!"  
  
He gave them an odd look, then picked Shuichi up off of his chair, and set him down on the floor.  
  
The boy gave an animalistic growl, then promptly kicked Hiei in the most sensitive spot that a man has, and the koorime doubled over - his face landing right in the mashed potatoes.  
  
He then fell back onto the floor, and tucked himself into the fetal position.  
  
Shuichi smirked triumphantly. "Only I can sit by MY Dawn." He said.  
  
Dawn decided to ignore that comment, and kneeled down beside Hiei. She peeled the bowl off of his face, and he whimpered slightly.  
  
She ran a finger down his cheek, and put the finger into her mouth. She then grinned at him.  
  
"You taste good."  
  
He glared at her, then jumped to his feet, continuing to glare at Shuichi.  
  
"You have a five-second head-start."  
  
He gave the koorime a confused look. "What?"  
  
"_Run._" Hiei said.  
  
Shuichi broke into a full out run, up the stairs to where Skye was in the playroom. He slammed the door behind him, and she gave him a bored look.  
  
"What did you do this time, genius?"  
  
"I kicked Hiei in the balls. He was trying to take MY Dawn."  
  
The miniature phoenix rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. In case you haven't noticed, they're mates."  
  
"What's that?" He asked, giving her a questioning look.  
  
The door suddenly started to come open, and Hiei's fingers were groping for the red-haired boy. He quickly slammed his back against the door, and the koorime let out another small scream when his fingers were caught in the door.  
  
The tiny fox realized that the window was open, and took the opportunity to dash towards it and jump out.  
  
Skye watched him, still bored, and looked up at Hiei when he slammed into the room.  
  
"Where the hell did he go?!" He demanded.  
  
"Hiei, please, calm down!" Kurama exclaimed.  
  
"He just jumped out the window." Skye said calmly.  
  
"WHAT?!" Amaya exclaimed.  
  
"Relax, koishii, you have to remember that he isn't human." Kurama said, trying to calm the tennyo down.  
  
Hiei ran towards the window and jumped out as well. Everyone quickly ran down the stairs, and outside, to where the small boy was being chased in circles around the house.  
  
Kurama sighed in relief, when he realized that at the speed that Hiei was running at, he wasn't actually serious. He was probably only trying to teach his son a lesson...  
  
He smiled slightly.  
  
Everything was...wonderful.  
  
He had a wonderful family, his friends were happy, and everything was goin to be alright...  
  
_I'd better go break them up before someone actually gets hurt..._

* * *

**Author's Notes** : [sniffles] Well, that's it for this part of the story! Originally, I wasn't going to make another story, but I changed my mind! This isn't the end, and the first (at this point) three chapters of the next story are posted! It's called "New Generation: The Angel Keepers". Enjoy it!!  
  
Also, I'll be posting another story very soon, which I think will be just as popular as this one. It's a Yu Yu Hakusho / Inu-Yasha crossover, and it focuses on Hiei and an OC, and Sesshoumaru and Rin. It's really good - I've already written the first chapter.  
  
It's called **Rain and Fire**, so look out for it!!  
  
Thanks to everyone who has ever reviewed for this series! We broke 200 reviews, and that means that I'll be doing some quizzes by the characters! Just give me a list of who you want to see fill out the quizzes, and I'll do it!

Other than that, thanks to everyone! I hope you enjoyed Kokoro No Kaitou!!!

**People who made this fic possible:**  
  
**LuckyKoorime**, for help with plot. Thank you so much for sticking by me!!  
  
**Kaze Tsukai**, there would be no humor without you.  
  
**Sasha**, I'll try to make some ducks appear in another story...  
  
**Miyako14**, I realize that you only beta-read two chapters, but I'm still grateful!!  
  
**Every single one of my lovely reviewers!!**

**  
**

**miyako14** : Any time! You're the best!  
  
**ShadowBlue** : Well, I'm glad that you did.  
  
**crimson7319** : Don't feel bad!! I really appreciate the correction!! Thanks for all of the support.  
  
**Chibi Lady & Lady Light** : Thank you so much!!  
  
**Kagome0102** : Yeah, I'm evil that way. And thank you so much for being there throughout the entire story. Oh, and just so you know, I'll be posting a CYOA on my website pretty soon...  
  
**Story Weaver1** : That's a good start, but like I said, Naomi stays in Makai, and it has to focus on Shuichi and the other little people...only they have to be older...it would be awkward for ten-year-olds to save the world, LOL.  
  
**Suzaku no miko** : Thank you so much!!  
  
**DarkVixenNisha** : Naomi is one of my favorite characters.  
  
**Mah** : Thank you!!  
  
**Lazi Bum** : Thanks!!!  
  
**Sun Priestess** : I'm glad that you liked that!! Naomi really is cool!  
  
**Wolf Black Flame** : [blushes] Thanks! Favorite? Yay!! I'm glad you liked this fic.  
  
**Blue Pixie Dust** : [blushes harder] Highlight of your week!? I feel so loved!! Just for that, the epilogue is dedicated to you!!

Here are a few stories that I'll be writing sometime, and I want you all to voice your opinion - which of these would you like to see written first?

**Rain and Fire**  
  
A girl by the name of Rain helps Hiei when she was a child. Now, ten years later, she's in trouble. She's being chased by a gang of demons, and she has no idea as to why they want her. Hiei finds her again, and this time, he may have to return the favor...

**Freedom - Body Soul**  
  
Tragedy occurs when Minamino Shuichi 'dies' from a mysterious disease. But he's not entirely gone...because Youko Kurama is still there. When the gingitsune only causes trouble, they bring in a familiar face to get him under control...Kuronue's little sister.

**Under Suspicion**  
  
AU. Quistis is a prestigious lawyer. Seifer is a criminal accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. What happens when you combine the two? Nothing good, that's for sure. Especially when Quistis starts to suspect that Seifer may actually be innocent for once... And while she tries to find Rinoa Heartilly's REAL murderer, she may be getting closer than she ever hoped to...

**Choose Your Own Adventure: Dark Priestess**  
  
You're a normal girl with a normal life. That is, until your older brother comes home from college, and you find out that you're the reincarnation of an evil priestess destined to destroy the world...

**Kagami Sekken (ORIGINAL)**  
  
Toshiko always wanted to lead a different kind of life. And when she finds a portal in her basement leading to 'Mirror World', she may have gotten more than she bargained for...

**??? (ORIGINAL)**  
  
Kira Summers and her friend Raven never have been normal. But that's because they're demon-hunters. Ones who happento be the ones destined to save the world from the most powerful demon ever, who recently escaped from hell... And what happens when they meet two other demons who may not be as bad as they seem...?

**Ten Things I Really Really Hate About You...**  
  
AU. Dark is the most popular guy in his school. Risa is the most popular girl. Then, one day, at Risa's party, Dark is dared to kiss her. But it turns out that the girl that he kissed was the wrong girl. And after she slaps him, he's determined to make her fall in love with him - just like every other girl in the school. Will he be willing to turn to the world's most _un-popular_ boy, Daisuke Niwa, for help?

So, leave a review! I want to know what you thought of the lovely epilogue, and which of the above stories you'd like to see me write next! I hope that every one of you will also read my other stories! And so until then, ciao!!


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